Items

N (%)

Incoming emergency calls (in 7 shifts in 7 days in 4 hospitals’ emergency department)

No. of total incoming calls

127

Median distance between callers and hospitals (in K.M.:Kilometers)

4.0 (Range: 0.5-25.0)

Management of incoming emergency calls (N = 127)

Deployment of an ambulance to patient transport

30 (23.6%)

Providing of information on private ambulance service

23 (18.1%)

No support was provided

74 (58.3%)

Reasons for not deploying an ambulance to patient care (n = 97; Multiple responses)

Unavailability of ambulance

69 (71.1%)

Long distance

42 (43.3%)

High ambulance fare issues

29 (29.9%)

Non-cooperative/friendly staff

16 (16.5%)

Other reasons

14 (14.4%)