title: Emergency medical service systems in Sri Lanka: problems of the past, challenges of the future.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The concept of emergency medical services (EMS) is new to Sri Lanka. This article describes the development, delivery, and future ideas for EMS in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka also faces frequent natural hazards that justify the establishment of an EMS service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data and information regarding emergency medical care in Sri Lanka were collected and reviewed from resources including websites and research papers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Currently, there are no qualified emergency medical physicians in Sri Lanka. However, a specialist training program for emergency physicians was initiated in 2012. There is no formal system to train emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Sri Lankans usually use taxies or their private vehicles to get to the hospital in the case of an emergency. All of the hospitals have ambulances that they can use to transport patients between hospitals. Most hospitals have emergency treatment units. Those at larger hospitals tend to be better than those at smaller hospitals. Although there is a disaster management system, it is not focused on emergency medical needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many aspects of the EMS system in Sri Lanka need improvement. To start, the emergency telephone number should cover the entire country. Training programs for EMTs should be conducted regularly. In addition, ambulances should be allocated for prehospital care. In the process of these developmental changes, public awareness programs are essential to improve the function of the EMS system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite many current shortcomings, Sri Lanka is capable of developing a successful EMS system.
authors.affiliation: Preliminary Care Unit, Base Hospital of Avissawella, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Kelum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wimalaratne
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea. ed119@yonsei.ac.kr.|Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, 20, Ilsan-ro, Wonju, Gangwon Province, 26426, Republic of Korea. ed119@yonsei.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kang Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In Hye
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kang
keywords: Disaster; Emergency medical service; Emergency medicine; Prehospital care; Sri Lanka