The Effectiveness Of A Navigation System For Ambulance Service In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Author:
Ahmad Khaldun Ismail
;
Yap Yah Yun
;
Gita Mahardhika
;
Ainun Abdul Ghani
;
Nurul Saadah Ahmad
;
Abdul Karim Mustafa
;
Shamsuriani Md Jamal
;
Rosdiadee Nordin
;
Nasharuddin Zainal
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Emergency;
GPS navigation;
Prehospital care;
Response time;
Transport time
- MeSH:
Emergency;
GPS navigation;
Prehospital care;
Response time;
Transport time
- From:Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine
2018;18(Special Volume (1)):166-173
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The response and transport intervals of an ambulance dispatch are affected by various factors. The present ambulance
system relies on the driver’s experience, knowledge of local road map and estimations of directions. These may
contribute to delays, misdirection and inefficient utilization of resources. The objectives of this study were to assess the
effects of GPS navigation device on the response and transport time intervals of an ambulance service operating in urban
setting. This was a three-month experimental study involving simulated ambulance dispatch based in a hospital. A total
of 50 simulated cycles were constructed. Travel time, arrival time and distance were documented from each cycle. The
median actual response time using map and GPS navigation device was 11.82 min and 10.47 min respectively. The median
actual transport time using map and GPS navigation device was 11.00 min and 10.74 min respectively. The differences in
response time and transport time between map and GPS navigation were not statistically significant (p= 0.215 and
p=0.710). The application of GPS reduced the error value between estimated and actual response time by 8.73%. It also
reduced the mean error value between estimated and actual transport time by 1.42%. The result shows that the GPS
navigation device allowed for more accurate travel time estimation and its application in an urban setting such as Kuala
Lumpur has the potential to reduce ambulance response time.
- Full text:22.2018my0322.pdf
