Disparities between Rural and Urban Areas of the Central Region of Saudi Arabia in the Utilization and Time-Centeredness of Emergency Medical Services

Hassan N. Moafa, Sander Martijn Job van Kuijk, Dhafer M. Alqahtani, Mohammed E. Moukhyer and Harm R. Haak
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Hassan N. Moafa: Department of Health Services Management, Faculty of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 82817 2820, Saudi Arabia
Sander Martijn Job van Kuijk: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
Dhafer M. Alqahtani: Department of Quality Management, Saudi Red Crescent Authority, Ministry of Health, Riyadh 13251-8261, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed E. Moukhyer: Department of Academic Development and Quality, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 82511, Saudi Arabia
Harm R. Haak: Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, 6229 GT Maastricht, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore differences in characteristics of missions dispatched by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) between rural and urban areas of Riyadh province in Saudi Arabia (SA). It also aimed at identifying weaknesses related to utilization and Response Time (RT). The study retrospectively evaluated 146,639 completed missions in 2018 by measuring the utilization rate in rural and urban areas. The study shows there are six times more ambulance crews available for rural areas compared to urban. There were 22.1 missions per 1000 urban inhabitants and 11.2 missions per 1000 in rural areas. The median RT for high urgent trauma cases was 20.2 min in rural compared to 15.2 min in urban areas ( p < 0.001). In urban areas, the median RT for high urgent medical cases was 16.1 min, while it was 15.2 min for high urgent trauma cases. Around 62.3% of emergency cases in urban and 56.5% in rural areas were responded to within 20.00 min. Women utilized EMS less frequently. The RT was increased in urban areas compared to previous studies. The RT in the central region of SA has been identified as equal, or less than 20.00 min in 62.4% of all emergency cases. To further improve adherence to the 20′ target, reorganizing the lowest urgent cases in the rural areas seems necessary.

Keywords: emergency medical services; utilization; response time; rural; urban (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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