ABSTRACTS
Patient Characteristics and Care Following EMS and Fire Vehicle CollisionsAuthor: Stephanie Limmer | Chief Business Officer | Limmer Education Associate Authors: Stephens, Rebeka, DO | MacMillan, John | Rollman, Jeffrey, E
Introduction Emergency vehicle collisions pose a serious safety risk for EMS clinicians, patients, and the public. While many studies examine factors leading to these collisions, little is known about patient care following such incidents. The objective of this study was to analyze patients involved in emergency medical vehicle collisions and describe the subsequent care they receive. Methods We analyzed records in the 2023 ESO Data Collaborative with a primary injury of “motorized vehicle accident” and injury detail of “ambulance/fire engine traffic accident injures occupant”. Our descriptive analysis included response mode, response time to scene, primary patient impression with injury patterns and severity, patient disposition, and emergency department (ED) outcomes. Results Of the 671 records, 93% involved emergent responses, yet only 27% of transports from the scene (N=402) used light and sirens. We identified six deaths on scene, with 5 no resuscitation attempted and 1 resuscitation but discontinued (0.9%). Of those transported with linked outcome data (N=119), 1 died in the ED and 2 died at the hospital with sepsis. Primary EMS impressions included injury Nonspecific Injury (21.9%), back pain (7.5%), no complaints or injury noted (7.3%), extremity pain (6.0%), head injury (5.7%), and acute trauma pain (5.7%). Alcohol or drug use was reported in 5.4% of records. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was 15 in 92% of records. Of those with ED outcomes, 74.8% were discharged and 25.2% were admitted, transferred, or other. Most incidents (81.4%) occurred in urban areas, with 18.6% in rural or super rural settings. Conclusion Most patients involved in ambulance collisions were discharged from the ED, suggesting severe injury is uncommon. However, the presence of hospital admissions and fatalities highlights the potential seriousness of these incidents. Disparity in dispatch and transport priority suggests a disconnect between perceived and actual acuity. Vague or non-specific injury documentation may reflect minor trauma or incomplete assessment. Regional and urban clustering of incidents point to opportunities for targeted training or policy interventions. Future studies incorporating narrative data could help determine whether injuries were pre-existing or collision-related.
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