The Accuracy of Diagnosis and Treatment Made by Pre-hospital Emergency Medical Technicians in Patients Admitted to Hospitals in Qazvin, Iran

Abstract

Background: Correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment measures of pre-hospital Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are very important in improving the quality of patient care and reducing mortality and costs. Objective: This study aims to investigate the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment made by pre-hospital EMTs in patients admitted to hospitals in Qazvin, Iran. Methods: In this descriptive study conducted in 2018, the medical records of 600 patients who were transferred to Bu-Ali Sina and Velayat hospitals in Qazvin by ambulance during March-June 2018 were examined. Diagnosis and treatment measures were extracted from the emergency sheet. Education, work experience, and amount of in-service training of pre-hospital EMTs were also collected. Data were analyzed in SPSS V. 23 software using ANOVA, Chi-square test, and t-test. Findings: Out of 600 cases, 71.7% of the initial diagnoses made by EMTs were correct, 8.5% were incorrect, and 19.8% were without initial diagnosis. Regarding the treatment measures, 65.8% were correct and 3.5% were incorrect. Conclusion: Prompt help and correct diagnostic and treatment measures of pre-hospital EMTs can significantly reduce mortality and potential injuries.