Planning recommendations for international emergency medicine and out-of-hospital care system development.
OBJECTIVE
To present suggestions on planning for development of emergency medicine (EM) and out-of-hospital care in countries that are in an early phase of this process, and to provide basic background information for planners not already familiar with EM.


METHODS
The techniques and programs used by the authors and others in assisting in EM development in other countries to date are described.


CONCLUSIONS
Some aspects of EM system development have applicability to most countries, but other aspects must be decided by planners based on country-specific factors. Because of the very recent initiation of many EM system development efforts in other countries, to the authors' knowledge there have not yet been extensive evaluative reports of the efficacy of these efforts. Further studies are needed on the relative effectiveness and cost-benefit of different EM development efforts.
Holliman
C J
CJ
Center for International Emergency Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, USA. jholliman@psghs.edu
VanRooyen
M J
MJ
Green
G B
GB
Kirsch
T D
TD
Delooz
H H
HH
Clem
K J
KJ
Thomas
T L
TL
Davis
M A
MA
Wang
E
E
Wolfson
A B
AB
D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D014943:Global Health; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods