Prehospital emergency services in Catalonia: the SEPHCAT analysis
Author
Escalada, Xavier
Sánchez, Pere
Hernández, Ricard
Gené, Emili
Jacob, Javier
Alonso, Gilberto
Rimbau, Pere
Zorrilla, José
Casarramona, Francesc
Netto, Cristina
Flores, Silvia
Puig, Mireia
Villamor, Alberto
Sánchez, Miquel
Miró, Òscar
Publication date
2020ISSN
1137-6821
Abstract
Objectives: To describe the main characteristics of all prehospital emergency services (SEPHs, the Catalan acronym) in Catalonia (the SEPHCAT study). Material and methods: A professional survey researcher interviewed the medical directors of all services in Catalonia, using a questionnaire prepared by the authors. Questions covered aspects related to organization, professional staffing and employment conditions, as well as the staff's training, instructional activity and research. Only closed answers were collected. The survey reflected the situation in 2015. Results: We identified 13 SEPHs (11 in the public health service and 2 private companies). Together they received 2 482 627 calls (16.4% to private services) and attended 943 849 emergencies (11.8% attended by private companies). Three hundred thirty-six basic life support units and 73 advanced life support units were reported. They were mostly considered to be of sufficient size and quality. The SEPHs contracted 1374845 person-hours/y (753995 physician-hours and 620 850 nurse-hours; 23.4% in private companies). These figures correspond to 815 full-time staff positions (447 for physicians and 368 for nurses). The numbers of physicians and nurses working were relatively stable during the morning, afternoon and evening shifts but decreased during the midnight-to-early-morning shift (physicians, by 31%; nurses, by 9%). A majority of the physicians employed were trained in family and community medicine (56.8%), but 21.3% had no specialized training; 6.5% had PhD degrees. SEPH physicians (61.5%) and nurses (46.2%) also taught undergraduate medical students; 46.2% of physicians and 84.6% of nurses taught postgraduate medical courses. Both undergraduate medical and nursing students were received in the same measure for practical training by 15.4% of the SEPHs; 69.2% also offered practical training for physicians at the postgraduate level and 76.9% trained postgraduate nurses. Conclusion: SEPHs in Catalonia are very active, and private companies account for nearly 12% of the activity. Together the public and private sectors employ a large number of physicians and nurses. Staff members are involved in training others but are less involved in research.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
61 - Medical sciences
614 - Public health and hygiene. Accident prevention
Keywords
Emergències
Servei d'urgències
Medicina d'urgències
Infermeria
Atenció urgent
Emergencias
Servicio de urgencias
Medicina de urgencias
Enfermería
Atención urgente
Emergencies
Emergency service
Emergency medicine
Nursery
Urgent care
Pages
6
Publisher
Sociedad Española de Medicina de Urgencias y Emergencias
Collection
32; 2
Is part of
Emergencias
Citation
Escalada, Xavier; Sánchez, Pere; Hernández, Ricard [et al.]. Prehospital emergency services in Catalonia: the SEPHCAT analysis. Emergencias,. 2020, 32(2), p. 90-96. Disponible en: <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32125107/>. Fecha de acceso: 8 feb. 2024.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Ciències de la Salut [745]
Rights
© Copyright Sociedad Española de Medicina de Urgencias y Emergencias