Pediatric ambulance utilization in a large American city

Abstract

The PANE tool compared favorably to admission rates as a measure of the severity of illness of patients arriving by ambulance. Applying the PANE tool, we conclude that the majority of requests for ambulances are appropriate, and that the majority of the time dispatchers were able to dispatch the appropriate level of care. However, there is room for significant improvement in utilization of ambulances, and tools like the PANE will be useful in achieving this goal.