[Efficacy of a psychosocial workplace within the Berlin Fire Department's dispatch center: a randomized controlled...

The emergency medical services in Berlin are facing an increasing number of missions, partly because people with low-priority psychosocial problems are calling the emergency number 112 for help. Although international evidence shows that telephone counseling can resolve some cases, there is currently no alternative to dispatching ambulances for these calls in Germany.

The study examines the efficacy of a psychosocial telephone service in the emergency control center (PSAPL) in reducing the number of ambulance dispatches.

This is a randomized, controlled study conducted in the emergency dispatch center. Participants were selected according to standardized emergency call query codes. On intervention days, callers with low-priority psychosocial requests for help were advised by the PSAPL and, if necessary, referred to other support structures. On control days, an ambulance was routinely dispatched. Individuals who gave their consent were contacted again after 14 days to collect self-reported outcomes (e.g., satisfaction).

There were 72 PSAPL conversations during the 2‑month study period. Callers were mostly the affected persons themselves or people close to them. The median call duration was 14 min. In 48 cases, an ambulance dispatch was avoided and alternative assistance was usually provided. In 24 cases, it was not possible to conclude the case by telephone consultation and an ambulance was dispatched. Those seeking help were predominantly satisfied with the PSAPL intervention.

For the first time, case-resolving telephone counselling at the control center actively prevented ambulance missions and transports to emergency rooms in the psychosocial spectrum. The PSAPL, therefore, offers a way to close an existing gap in acute psychosocial care and to refer these requests for help in a targeted manner. This could save direct ambulance costs as well as costs of follow-up care.