Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services Project-Assessment of Efficacy Rishipathak Parag1, Yeravdekar Rajiv2, Shelke Dnyaneshwar3, Tilekar Saket4, Shukla Sharvari5 1Associate Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Health Science, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India 2Professor Dean & Director, Symbiosis Institute of Health Science, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India 3Chief Operating Officer, BVG, Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services, Pune, India 4Head Operations, BVG, Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services, Pune, India 5Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Health Science, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India Online published on 29 December, 2017. Abstract To reduce morbidity & mortality, Government of Maharashtra decided to offer Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the state of Maharashtra. This study was aimed to assess efficacy of pre hospital care provided through situational analysis for period of 30 months from 01 January 2014 to 30 June 2016 across all districts of Maharashtra through the MEMS project. Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) Project is a toll free ‘108’ number based 24 x 7 hours’ pre-hospital emergency medical services free of cost to entire population in the state of Maharashtra. State of art Emergency Response Centre (ERC) is developed at Aundh Chest Hospital Pune. ERC operates 24 x 7 hours through a centrally operated toll free telephone number-108 which can be dialed from any part of the state. There is state of the art 937 ambulances (233 ALS and 704 BLS ambulances) operational across Maharashtra capable to provide competent care for the sick or injured in emergency medical settings. Training was imparted to all Emergency Medical Services professionals (EMPs) working with MEMS by Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, a constituent of Symbiosis International University. Purpose This study was aimed to assess efficacy of pre hospital care provided through situational analysis for period of 30 months from 01 January 2014 to 30 June 2016 across all districts of Maharashtra through the MEMS project. Methodology This study was conducted during 01 January 2014 to 30 June 2016 across all 34 districts of Maharashtra. Emergency Medical Services Professionals (EMPs) working on 937 Ambulances respond to emergency calls, perform medical services and transport patients to appropriate hospital as required. Number and type of cases attended by these EMPs every month during the period of study are considered for analysis. Year and district wise data is represented by frequency and percentages. Incident types are represented by descriptive statistics and data is analyzed in SPSS (V.23). Results Maharashtra EMS receives on an average 25000 emergency medical calls every month. The Clinical Incidents are relatively increasing throughout the years from 2014 to June 2016 and a total of 1100 cases were attended during two and half years. EMS across 34 districts was provided to on an average 32 (min: 22, max: 61) clinical cases per district with incidents in Bhandara district being highest. Number of incident increases during the month of May to October perhaps due to rainy season. More than 1000 cases of accidents, assault, burns, cardiac, fall, intoxication, labour utilized Emergency Medical Services. Summary (Novelty) Emergency Medical Services professionals are immersed in the fast-paced service sector of saving lives in response to a wide variety of emergency medical situations. Duties include quickly assessing and prioritizing patient needs with the goal of providing life support in situations where trauma, respiratory, diabetic, behavioral, cardiac, allergic, poisoning, and childbirth emergency situations might exist. Earlier EMS was fragmented and not accessible. In a short span of three years MEMS has shown commendable results. State wide 108 services cater to community at large with a definitive goal of reducing morbidity and mortality, thus confidence and trust among people is instilled to use 108 ambulance services during emergencies as shown by the increased utilization of the services Top Keywords EMS-Emergency Medical Services, ERC-Emergency Response Centre, EMP's-Emergency Medical Services Professionals. Top |