Assessment of Emergency Medical Dispatch Call Quality Using ProQA Software at Besanon Emergency Dispatch Center

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the quality of incoming call handling in an emergency medical dispatch EMD center, focusing on calls managed by professional EM dispatchers. The study aims to assess how well dispatchers identify the severity of medical emergencies using the ProQA regulation protocol and to identify factors that influence call handling quality. This observational study is sponsored by the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besancon and centers on medical emergencies. The study involves reviewing recorded calls handled by EM dispatchers during the study period. Supervisors use AQUA software to rate the quality of call handling by replaying calls in a calm environment and comparing the severity codes assigned by dispatchers with those assigned by supervisors. This process helps evaluate the accuracy of severity assessments made during calls. Various secondary measures like training types, dispatcher experience, call response times, and call volume are also collected over about one year. Participants involvement consists of calls managed by professional EM dispatchers, with no intervention or treatment administered. Data collected includes call recordings, severity codes, timing details, and dispatcher experience. The main measure is the agreement rate between dispatcher and supervisor severity codes. The study also monitors call handling speed and patterns across shifts and days. The anticipated duration for data collection and analysis is one year, with no direct impact on patient care during the study.

Quality of Incoming Call Handling in an Emergency Dispatch Center