Medical emergencies on a medium-sized urban university campus with collegiate-based EMS

J Am Coll Health. 2021 Nov-Dec;69(8):971-975. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1709475. Epub 2020 Jan 29.

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify the types and frequency of acute medical events at a university with a collegiate-based emergency medical services (CBEMS) agency. Participants: Patients who requested assistance from the studied CBEMS agency, which provides emergency medical services coverage at a medium-sized urban university. Methods: This retrospective chart review examined requests for emergency service from August 2010-July 2017. Data abstracted include the type of medical event, frequency, call times/dates, and locations of reported medical events. Results: The studied agency received an average 889.4 (SD +/-68.6 calls) per year with the most common falling under the categories of "Substance Abuse" (231.7 calls/year, SD +/-15.7) and "Minor Trauma" (207.1 calls/year, SD+/-37.8). Most requests for acute medical attention occurred between the hours of 1800-0600 on Fridays and Saturdays. Implications/Conclusions: These results suggest that universities can potentially predict patterns and prepare for the types of acute medical issues that occur on campus.

Keywords: College campus; collegiate-based EMS; emergency medical services; medical emergencies.

MeSH terms

  • Emergencies
  • Emergency Medical Services*
  • Humans
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Students
  • Universities*