This article traces the evolution of ambulance location and relocation models proposed over the past 30 years. The models are classified in two main categories. Deterministic models are used at the planning stage and ignore stochastic considerations regarding the availability of ambulances. Probabilistic models reflect the fact that ambulances operate as servers in a queueing system and cannot ...

BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that use of motorcycle ambulances can help to improve health facility deliveries; however, few studies have explored the motivators for and barriers to their usage. We explored the factors associated with utilization of motorcycle ambulances by pregnant women in eastern Uganda. METHODS This was a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study conducted among 391 women who d...

BACKGROUND  The objective of this paper is to evaluate the response times and outcome of patients in two groups of patients attended by permanently (PS) and temporarily stationed ambulances (TS) (fluid deployment). METHODS Patients transported and treated by EMS between March 21, 2012 and March 20, 2013 in a city with 1.7 million inhabitants (Shiraz, Iran) were studied. Using the same number ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The findings of the Health Care in Danger project in Karachi suggests that there is presence of behavioral negligence among vehicle operators on roads in regards to giving way to ambulances. A mass media campaign was conducted to raise people's awareness on the importance of giving way to ambulances. The main objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of...

Abstract – The goal of our work is to develop a scalable methodology to a variety of applications requiring data fusion support for decision-making, which has direct applicability to a disaster or homeland security situation. In this work we have considered a dynamic disaster environment where an earthquake has struck and thousands of casualties are to be attended to. The fusion center outputs ...

OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study are to develop a discrete-event simulation (DES) model for the Singapore Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and to demonstrate the utility of this DES model for the evaluation of different policy alternatives to improve ambulance response times. METHODS A DES model was developed based on retrospective emergency call data over a continuous 6-month period ...