[Emergency medical care--an important factor in prehospital emergency medicine]

When looking at Emergency Medical Service as an example of emergency medicine in BiH, the authors present the following concept: that the management of medical emergencies in the prehospital phase of medical emergencies is the responsibility of EMS. The modern conception of EMS is examined in a comprehensive fashion, exploring the evolution of the discipline from its inception to the present, the conditions necessary for the EMS to function effectively (equipment, education and organisation), and examples are cited from foreign countries demonstrating the best results in the field of emergency medicine. The recommendations for EMS in BiH are made based upon the original conception of emergency service, with significant influence from US and German systems respectively. The article makes the case for EMS to be the only provider of prehospital medical care, and examines possibilities for further improvements in organisational structures, and the conclusions drawn reflect the fact that EMS is the institution capable (and responsible) for health care in prehospital phase of medical emergencies. This is found to be a rational assessment of the countries needs within the context of actual capacities.