Algorithms in emergency medicine. A system for increasing efficiency in the emergency services

In spite of many years effort in the standardization of the German emergency medical services (EMS), there are still now no countrywide standards for the treatment of emergency patients. Algorithms involving instructions for action can serve for the optimization of this deficit in preclinical patient care. This contribution presents a new, comprehensive system, which is not limited to the description of single clinical pictures, but considers the whole procedure from its beginning to the final evaluation by means of a high-class medical management. Evaluations within an EMS area of responsibility show a significant increase in the realization of the agreed tests, which orientate themselves on the instructions provided by professional medical societies. In summary, the draft algorithm provides an efficient system for improvement of the EMS.