Emergency Workflow
Time is critical so call for an ambulance immediately. Your call to the Ambulance Service triggers the rescue operation process. Based on the information given during an emergency call, the dispatcher in the emergency control centre determines the transport details. If necessary, they consult a team of experts to ensure flawless operations. Each step in the rescue operation process is described in detail as follows:
Accident registration
Your behavior when calling 999 and reporting the accident to the operator:
Speak clearly
Tell the operator your name, your telephone number, the nature of the emergency and the exact location
Follow the operators instructions, who will also tell you how to behave at the scene of an accident
Pay attention to any questions from the operator. The emergency transport is organized based on the information you report to the emergency services
In an emergency remember the five key messages:
Dial 999 immediately
Know your location
Answer all questions
Follow all instructions
Give way to ambulances
Rescue Initiation
Your call willl be answered by the National Command Center, operated by the Ministry of Interior. In case of an accident, the call is passed on to an experienced dispatcher, who organizes transport and primary care based on your description of location, type and severity of the accident or emergency.
The nearest emergency vehicle is alerted and if necessary a helicopter is alerted.
The relevant emergency care department is informed in case of severe emergencies in order to commence appropriate treatment when the patient is delivered to the most appropriate emergency department.
The dispatcher maintains contact to the reporter of the emergency, who is kept updated on the rescue process.
Rescue
Arriving on the emergency scene the paramedics first let the dispatcher know they are onsite and then evaluate the situation.
What might seem like a routine rescue operation to the paramedics can be a daunting and dramatic experience for the patients and those around them. Therefore the paramedics will try and calm the patient and reassure them and other people involved that they will do all they can to carry out a successful rescue.
The rescue time can vary from just a few minutes to several hours, depending on the patient’s condition.
Paramedics are trained to assess the scene and make a clinical decision as to whether the patient is immediately loaded and transported to hospital or if stabilization and medical treatment on scene is required.
However long it takes, the paramedics and the emergency service control center communicate with each other to ensure that the patient is provided with the best care possible.
Transportation
While en route, paramedics monitor the patient’s vital signs and take further actions if required. The control center will also give the hospital a brief verbal report of the situation during the journey to the emergency department. This provides the hospital staff enough time to prepare everything they need for further treatment.
On arriving at the hospital, paramedics accompany the patient inside and give a more detailed report to the emergency department nurses or to the emergency department doctor as the case may require.
