Critical Gaps in Sri Lanka’s Ambulance Transfer Forms Reveal Urgent Need for Standardization

Introduction

Ambulance services play a pivotal role in saving lives during medical emergenciesbut what happens when critical patient information gets lost in transit? A recent study conducted at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) reveals alarming shortcomings in ambulance care and the completeness of patient transfer forms. The findings emphasize the pressing need for standardized, structured documentation to improve patient outcomes and reduce delays in care. Visit https://www.anesthesiaresjournal.com/ for more groundbreaking research in emergency medicine and clinical anesthesia.

Where the Ambulance System Falls Short

The study, which assessed 409 ambulances arriving at NHSL with emergency patients, found that only 6.1% of them had a major medical staff member (doctor, nurse, or EMT) accompanying the patient. Minor employees formed the bulk of accompanying staff, with limited or no training in emergency care.

Key issues identified include:

• Delayed response times: 18% of ambulances took more than 15 minutes to load patients after receiving a message, and an additional 7% delayed departure after loading.
• Inadequate documentation: Critical details like allergies (87.6% not mentioned), chronic diseases (50% omitted), and surgical history (76.4% missing) were poorly recorded.
• Lack of standardization: More than half of transfer forms lacked physical examination findings or detailed treatment procedures.
• Patient handover inefficiencies: 33% of delays at NHSL were attributed to unhelpful minor employees during handover.

Read the full study at https://doi.org/10.29328/journal.ijcar.1001009

Why This Matters: Implications for Pre-Hospital Care

Poorly documented transfer forms compromise continuity of care, especially when treating time-sensitive emergencies like trauma or cardiac arrest. According to the Royal College of Physicians, accurate handovers are vital for patient safety and reducing medical errors during transitions.

Other global studies back this up. For example, the BMJ Quality Improvement Reports highlight how electronic handover systems significantly improve information accuracy and reduce adverse outcomes.

Recommendations from the Study

To enhance the quality of ambulance care and patient safety, the authors recommend:

• Implementing standardized transfer forms to ensure all critical patient data is captured.
• Training ambulance staff especially minor employeesin emergency medical protocols.
• Introducing electronic handover systems to streamline patient data transfer between facilities.

A detailed analysis can be found in our main journal article, which outlines strategies for healthcare policymakers and emergency response administrators to address these challenges effectively.

Related Insights

• Explore how emergency documentation standards vary across emergency care categories
• Read similar studies on prehospital care and clinical handovers

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