Emergency motorcycle: has it a place in a medical emergency system?
OBJECTIVE
In an emergency medical service system, response time is an important factor in determining the prognosis of a victim. There are well-documented increases in response time in urban areas, mainly during rush hour. Because prehospital emergency care is required to be efficient and swift, alternative measures to achieve this goal should be addressed. We report our experience with a medical emergency motorcycle (MEM) and propose major criteria for dispatching it.


METHODS
This work presents a prospective analysis of the data relating to MEM calls from July 2004 to December 2005. The analyzed parameters were age, sex, reason for call, action, and need for subsequent transport. A comparison was made of the need to activate more means and, if so, whether the MEM was the first to arrive.


RESULTS
There were 1972 calls. The average time of arrival at destination was 4.4 +/- 2.5 minutes. The main action consisted of administration of oxygen (n = 626), immobilization (n = 118), and control of hemorrhage (n = 101). In 63% of cases, MEM arrived before other emergency vehicles. In 355 cases (18%), there was no need for transport.


CONCLUSIONS
The MEM can intervene in a wide variety of clinical situations and a quick response is guaranteed. Moreover, in specific situations, MEM safely and efficiently permits better management of emergency vehicles. We propose that it should be dispatched mainly in the following situations: true life-threatening cases and uncertain need for an ambulance.
Soares-Oliveira
Miguel
M
Instituto Nacional de Emergencia Médica R Dr Alfredo Magalhaes, 62, 4000-063 Porto, Portugal. miguel.oliveira@inem.pt
Egipto
Paula
P
Costa
Isabel
I
Cunha-Ribeiro
Luis Manuel
LM
D000552:Ambulances; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009049:Motorcycles; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors