Title : The status of pre-hospital emergency care service and contemporary challenges in Jimma city, Ethiopia
Abstract:
Pre-hospital emergency care is an essential part of emergency care system continuum. The objective of this study was to assess the status of the pre-hospital care within existing service using recommended assessment frameworks recommended in low-resourced areas where formal pre-hospital care lacked. Cross sectional study using mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative approaches was used. Qualitatively obtained information including interviewee audio records and field notes were transcribed in to verbatim, and transcribed data was translated to English. The results were organized into themes and sub-themes, and presented triangulated with quantitative findings based on the study objectives. This study findings reveal that administration and funding, public access to service and its advertisement, single short digit toll-free numbers and call processing unit, regulatory legislation and guidelines, human resource capacity, transportation facilities and ambulance supplies, communication facilities, and inter-facility collaboration and networking system are the aspects of existing service that requires the most significant development in order to scale up to formal pre-hospital care in the study area. Above all clinical care guidelines, and legal frameworks and regulatory standards for regulate the standards for ambulance utilities, operational activities, ambulance utilization practice, patient safety, documentation, quality assurance, pre-hospital care practice, and pre-hospital care provider’s trainings should be secured in place. In conclusion the establishment of the formal pre-hospital care can be realized if short and long-term strategic plan and administrative commitments have made to improve those already existing components and to corporate those missing essential structural and functional components.
