Managing High Frequency of Ambulance Calls in Hospitals: A Systematic Review

Abdullah Alruwaili; Ahmed Alanazy; Turki M Alanazi; Nowaf Alobaidi; Ahmad Saleh Almamary; Bandar M Faqihi; Fahad H Al Enazi; Rayan Siraj; Yasir Almukhlifi; Ziyad F Al Nufaiei; Maher Alsulami

doi:10.2147/RMHP.S436265

Managing High Frequency of Ambulance Calls in Hospitals: A Systematic Review

Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2024 Feb 1:17:287-296. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S436265. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Abdullah Alruwaili^{1

2

3

4}, Ahmed Alanazy^{1

2

3}, Turki M Alanazi^{1

2

3}, Nowaf Alobaidi^{1

2

3}, Ahmad Saleh Almamary^{1

2

3}, Bandar M Faqihi^{1

2

3}, Fahad H Al Enazi^{1

2

3}, Rayan Siraj⁵, Yasir Almukhlifi^{6

7}, Ziyad F Al Nufaiei^{6

7}, Maher Alsulami^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
² King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
³ Ministry of National Guard- Health Affairs, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ School of Health: Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Department of Respiratory Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Background: This study addresses the critical issue of high-volume emergency calls in hospitals, focusing on the strain caused by frequent caller patients on ambulance services. The aim was to synthesize various management methods for handling high-frequency hospital calls.

Methods: The systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and guided by the Cochrane Handbook for systematic reviews. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies focusing on the management of emergency departments in hospitals, exploring various medical conditions requiring ambulance attention, and reporting on the impact of a high volume of ambulance calls on hospitals. Databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched from January 1, 2005, to May 1, 2022. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Checklist.

Results: Out of 2390 identified citations, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies, from 12 countries, presented diverse methods categorized into country policy-based management, modeling approaches, and general strategies. Key findings included the effectiveness of risk stratification models and community-based interventions in managing high call frequencies and improving patient care. Our review identified effective strategies such as risk stratification models and community-based interventions, which have shown significant impacts in managing high call frequencies, aligning closely with our objective. These approaches have been pivotal in reducing the burden on emergency services and improving patient care.

Conclusion: The study synthesizes effective management methods for high-frequency ambulance calls, including predictive modeling and community interventions. It highlights the need for multi-faceted management strategies in different healthcare settings and underscores the importance of continued research and implementation of these methods to improve emergency service efficiency.

Keywords: ambulance calls; emergency services; systematic review.

Publication types

Review