Benchmarking for Public Safety Communication Centers (PSCCs) is relatively new. Recently, professional associations have been working on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to identify a number of performance metrics for call taking, dispatching, technology, quality assurance and administration. The goal of developing these KPIs is to provide fundamental metrics which are inherent in all PSCC work. Yet the standardization of PSCCs’ levels performance to these various KPIs is somewhat limited.
During a given incident, dispatchers are under high stress balancing the workload of listening, understanding, recording, and responding to an unfolding event. These personnel work in a high stakes environment, where seconds can mean life and death. They are called upon to be the voice of reason and calm during traumatic events, and must follow policy and procedures in effectively communicating event information to a number of different user groups. The goal of this work was to demonstrate how a predictive workload equation can be used to evaluate cognitive workload of a dispatcher during a representati
The objective of this study was to describe the sources of stress, coping mechanisms, stress responses, workplace environments, support services, and employer strategies to mitigate stress experienced by emergency dispatchers.
The Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WAST) manages more than 500,000 calls every year, with its emergency ambulance staff attending more than 250,000 of these calls. WAST currently uses the Medical Priority Dispatch System to process its 999 emergency calls and is an accredited centre of excellence. WAST employs experienced nurses and paramedics to undertake 999 secondary telephone triages of 1) low acuity patients, 2) patients awaiting an ambulance response, and 3) patients whose condition may be managed effectively by an alternative to an ambulance...
There are many recent articles published in scientific literature on the topic of work-related stress. However, these studies focus on the effects of stress on the workers and not on the impact that stress could have on their work performance—more specifically on the calltaker’s (emergency dispatcher (ED)) performance and consequently on the whole Emergency Medical Service (EMS). : The objective of this study was to assess whether the number of consecutive hours worked...
There is now substantial research literature on the occupational stress among emergency dispatchers from multiple studies that have cited dispatcher claims of significant emotional, mental, and physical stress as a result of their work. However, there is very little literature that ranks in order of prevalence or severity the factors contributing to overall stress specific to emergency dispatchers. The aim of this study is to collect data that will complement other research findings in this field to inform the development of new programs designed to address specific...
The difficulty of evaluating mental status, particularly alertness, is more pronounced in the medical dispatch context, where the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) must work through the eyes and ears of the caller, who is most likely a layperson. Determining true non-alertness and the level of its effects on outcome needs to be solved to perfect the interrogation and response-coding processes at dispatch.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems often utilize a structured approach to 911 call-taking and emergency medical dispatch (EMD). One such system, Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS®), categorizes 911 calls into EMD determinant codes based on problem and severity, with response priorities and resources determined at the local level through a predetermined response matrix. In this study, we proposed a methodology for utilizing historical clinical data to increase the accuracy of 911 call prioritization of patients with time-sensitive critical illness...
Although diverse factors associated with occupational stress have been examined, little is known about it among 9-1-1 Telecommunicators (TCs). As the first of the first responders, they experience post-traumatic stress disorder due to vicarious trauma and often work long-shifts and overtime. A more comprehensive assessment of the factors associated with stress among TCs is crucial for development of interventions to reduce occupational stress in call centers...
