Challenges and Solutions to Improve Prehospital Emergency Services

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MSc., Department of Healthcare management, School of Management and medical informatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz Iran

2 College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University, Adelaide, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia

3 Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Management and medical informatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background: Considering the challenging prehospital services given to pregnant women and the high sensitivity of this population, this qualitative study was conducted to find challenges and solutions to improve prehospital emergency services given to Iranian pregnant women in 2021.
Methods: The present qualitative study was carried out using content analysis in Fars, Bandar Abbas, and Tehran provinces, Iran during winter 2020 and spring 2021. In this research, emergency physicians, obstetricians, gynecologists, health professionals in disasters, emergency medicine specialists, midwives, and pregnant women were interviewed. The data were collected using in-depth interviews with 18 specialists and policymakers. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: The findings were divided into two groups of challenges and solutions. The challenges included five categories, namely "structural and systematic problems," "staff’s problems," "equipment's problems," "problems of pregnant women," and "traffic problems." These five categories included 19 subcategories. Moreover, the solutions consisted of five categories including "solutions for structure and system," "solutions for staff," "improvement of equipment," "reconstruction of roads," and "solutions for pregnant women's issues." The mentioned five categories consisted of 17 subcategories.
Conclusion: Since many health infrastructures have remained undeveloped in developing and undeveloped countries, policymakers and prehospital emergency professionals must cooperate before the occurrence of emergencies in order to discover and solve defects, so that there will be fewer health challenges and problems while providing prehospital services for pregnant women. This will also reduce the number of deaths and injuries amongst pregnant women.

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References

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Health Management & Information Science
Volume 11, Issue 1
January 2024
Pages 34-40

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