title: Physician knowledge and attitudes toward an emergency medical services system.
abstract: A survey was conducted to measure the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning emergency medical services (EMS) of physicians practicing in a suburban-rural county on Long Island, New York. Two hundred fifty-four physicians responded to a questionnaire formulated to determine the following: knowledge of the existing system; perceived changes in system components; opinions about factors affecting emergency department visits; physician recommendations to patients in hypothetical situations; reasons for choosing a particular hospital for emergency patients; interest in involvement in the county EMS training program; and physician socio-demographic characteristics. Such information is valuable in the planning of EMS programs.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000592:standards*; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006285:Health Planning / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires