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Time goals must be clearly defined to improve the quality of care. The EMS response time consists of dispatch time, turnaround time, travel time, and on scene time. The goal is less than nine minutes from time of initial call, to arrival on scene, for 90% of acute stroke related calls.
With proper education and training, the dispatch time should consistently be less than one minute. The clock starts the moment the call is received at the EMS answering center and an EMS unit is notified of the high-priority need to respond.
The turnout time should also be less than one minute. This time is measured from the time the EMS unit was notified until the ambulance wheels are moving.
The benchmark for travel time is equivalent to that for heart attack or trauma calls. This time is measured from the time the EMS unit begins to move until they arrive on the scene. | | | | | | |
