© 2003 by European Journal of Public Health
Articles/papers |
European Emergency Data Project (EED Project): EMS data-based Health Surveillance System
Thomas Krafft1, García Luis Castrillo-Riesgo2, Steve Edwards3, Matthias Fischer4, Jerry Overton5, Iain Robertson-Steel3 and Anke König1
1 Universität München Deutschland
2 Universidad de Cantabria Departamento de Ciencias Medicasy Quirúrgicas, Facultad de Medicina, España
3 West Midlands Ambulance Services – NHS Trust Birmingham, UK
4 Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie und Spezielle Intensivmedizin, Universität Bonn Deutschland
5 Richmond Ambulance Authority Richmond, VA, USA
Correspondence: Dr. Thomas Krafft, Arbeitsgruppe GEOMED, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department für Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Luisenstraße 37, 80333 München, Deutschland, tel. +49 89 2180 6592, fax +49 89 2180 6675
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) constitute a unique component of health care at the interface between primary and hospital care. EMS data within the pre-hospital setting represents an unparalleled source of epidemiological and health care information that have so far been neglected for public health monitoring. The European Emergency Data Project (EED Project) thus intends to identify common indicators for European EMS systems and to evaluate their suitability for integration into a comprehensive public health monitoring strategy. The article provides a brief overview on objectives and methodology in the form of a progress report.
Keywords: Emergency Medical Services (EMS), health monitoring, European perspective, indicators