Cell phones, prehospital access, and outcomes

[Marty Munro]

My response doesn't really answer the question, but I think the call volume for minor MVC's has gone up dramatically since cell phones have been a part of every day life.  Prior to everyone bringing cell phones with them everywhere they went, people would have to pull over and ask parties involved in accidents if they required an ambulance. Now these "good samaritans" just drive by and call 911 for every minor accident, thinking that they are being helpful, but resulting in multiple calls for the same accident.  It also doesn't help when people don't know the area and just guess, resulting in more than one ambulance responding to what ends up being the same accident.  

David Sullivan <fpcems at yahoo.com> wrote:  I dont know of any organized study, but I this is my thought. here is MA, all 911 cell phone calls are routed to the MA state police, and then they route your call from there to the right law enforncement agency. So, if your in boston and a man is down, and you pick your cell phone and dial 911....you'll get MSP framingham....then transfered to Boston PD, and then transfered to Boston EMS. i would think that response times would vary depending on your location, in boston faster than Great Barrington MA. 

dave

"Bjorn, Pret" 
wrote:
I wonder whether anyone has studied the effects of cellular telephones
on prehospital notification, and by extension, patient outcome. 

If Maine is any example, the mean injury-to-EMS-activation interval must
be several minutes per case shorter than it was even ten years ago --
back when we used to have to drive or walk from the roadside to the
nearest landline to report a car crash. 

I imagine this might show up on our survival numbers, but I wouldn't
know how to begin to test it. Pub Med's got bupkes.

Anyone aware of any organized data?

Just curious.

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