Abstract

Emergency communication centers often field calls from police, local law enforcement, sheriff, state police, highway patrol, security, military police, or federal agents. When these officers radio their communication centers for medical assistance, historically, they have said "Send medical" or "Need paramedics." Centers have typically sent lights-and-siren responses, sometimes wasting resources and potentially causing more accidents. It can be frustrating for all parties involved, because officers are not trained to provide necessary patient information, emergency dispatchers must triage a call with unknowns, and first responders are going in blind with unnecessary resources.

The Medical Priority Dispatch System™ (MPDS®) Protocol 38 Advanced SEND (P38) is a new version and update of the original SEND process. The Advanced SEND Protocol guides emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) to a more efficient and effective evaluation in order to record a reporting officer's on-scene assessment and send the most appropriate resources to them. It is designed to help answer calls for medical assistance from non-medical officers. This protocol replaces the original SEND card used by many agencies.