Emergency medical service assignments decrease significantly in Finland

The number of emergency medical service (EMS) assignments has significantly decreased in Finland, with a reported reduction of approximately 9.2% during the spring compared to the previous year. In concrete terms, this means that between January and June, around 40,000 fewer ambulance trips were made across the country.

This decline can be attributed to new emergency center protocols that came into effect in November, which allow for a broader range of situations where an ambulance may not be dispatched. Emergency calls are now more thoroughly evaluated before a decision is made to send assistance. Although the Emergency Response Center was unable to provide a copy of the new guidelines due to their classified nature, officials emphasize that EMS is not merely a taxi service. Sometimes, dispatchers will advise callers to seek care at health centers using their own transportation, or they may provide instructions over the phone.

Ari Ekstrand, head of operations at the Emergency Response Center, noted that the processing time for calls has increased by over a minute, though the response time has not significantly lengthened.

The most considerable reductions in EMS assignments have been in the Kainuu region, with a decrease of about 23%. This area implemented a situation center last autumn to manage non-urgent calls more efficiently, which has contributed to the drop.

In North Savo, there was a 17.2% decline, where ambulances are on alert for emergency tasks approximately 27.9% of their working hours, compared to 30.2% nationwide. Emergency Chief Medical Officer Marko Hoikka reassures that while there might be concerns over risk assessment, there has not been a significant rise in cases where patient safety was compromised.