Prehospital care

1. Prehospital care, also known as
emergency medical services
(EMS), is the medical care provided
to patients before they arrive at a
hospital or other definitive
healthcare facility. It encompasses
a wide range of services, from
basic first aid to advanced life
support, delivered by a variety of
healthcare professionals, including:
1. Emergency medical
technicians (EMTs)
2. Paramedics
3. Physician assistants
4. Physicians
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2. Prehospital care is crucial for
improving patient outcomes,
especially in time-sensitive
emergencies such as cardiac arrest,
stroke, and trauma. By providing
prompt and appropriate care at the
scene, prehospital providers can:
1. Stabilize patients' conditions
2. Prevent further complications
3. Increase the chances of survival
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3. •Basic life support (BLS): This
includes providing
CPR, administering oxygen, and
controlling bleeding.
•Advanced life support (ALS): This
includes administering
medications, performing advanced
airway management, and using
advanced monitoring equipment.
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4. •Interfacility transport: This involves transporting
patients between hospitals or other healthcare
facilities.
Prehospital care is delivered through a variety of
systems, including:
•Ambulance services: These are the most
common type of prehospital care system, and they
typically consist of ambulances staffed by EMTs or
paramedics.
•Air medical services: These services use
helicopters or airplanes to transport patients to
hospitals, often from remote or rural areas.
•First responder programs: These programs train
lay people, such as police officers and
firefighters, to provide basic life support until more
advanced care arrives.
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