Save Lives: A Review of Ambulance Technologies in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Services

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global population will face many challenges in providing healthcare. The results of the aging society, natural disasters, and global warming are only a few examples. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are the backbone of the first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and medics, to provide vital lifesaving care in an emergency. As part of pre-hospital EMS, ambulances are indispensable in the rapid transit and rescue of patient. Advances in ambulance technologies can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of EMS personnel and subsequently save lives. Investing in new ambulance technologies is crucial to increase the survival rate and provide better care during the EMS process. However, such investments are costly and depend on the pre-existing EMS system. This paper, offers a review of ambulance technologies in pre-hospital EMS between 2014–2018. The review is based on a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of publications retrieved from the SCOPUS database. The analysis identified clusters of ambulance technologies in pre-hospital EMS, current ambulance technologies, growth pattern, and direction for the future development. The results of the review are aimed to provide a knowledge base and overview of ambulance technologies for the decision-making process of hospitals and policy makers.