Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency medical service response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Taiwan: a retrospective observational study


Source: bmj.com bmj.com

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What is already known on this subject The prehospital resuscitation protocol of emergency medical service had been modified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency medical service response time is associated with the survival outcomes of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). What this study adds In this analysis of Taichung OHCA registry system, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in ambulance response time from call to departure, and emergency medical technicians spent longer at scene performing resuscitation. Although the percentages of witnessed collapse, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation were higher during the pandemic, the survival outcomes from OHCA were...