When Your EMS System Is Out of Trucks, Which Calls Can Wait?
Carousel1 min read·Published Oct 2026

When Your EMS System Is Out of Trucks, Which Calls Can Wait?

Title slide showing an ambulance illustration with text about EMS system capacity and dispatch prioritization.
Six-tier EMS dispatch acuity scale from OMEGA (non-acute) to ECHO (critical), showing the old determinant-level model.
Infographic showing EMS dispatch acuity labels don't always match time-critical risk based on 2024 study data.
Infographic showing new EMS triage model combining protocol with determinant, displaying risk stratification percentages.
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Carousel · Oct 2026 · 1 min read

In brief

In brief

This carousel examines call prioritization strategies when EMS systems face vehicle shortages, using ESO Data Collaborative analytics. Content explores triage frameworks and resource allocation models to optimize emergency response during capacity constraints.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the carousel.

Slides

4 pages · click to turn to one

A structured comparison chart displaying three treatment modalities side-by-side with colored sections. Each column contains clinical data, success percentages, and outcome metrics. Visual hierarchy uses headers, bullet points, and percentage callouts to organize information about surgical techniques.

Prehospital and EMS data. A social-media carousel drawing on ESO Data Collaborative data.
The text in the image

Pediatric Achalasia: Surgical Approach Comparison | Heller Myotomy | 78% Success Rate | Esophageal Dilatation | 45% Success Rate | POEM (Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy) | 99% Success Rate | 742 Cases Reviewed | Complications | Training Requirements | Long-term Outcomes | Systematic Review 2023

The text on each slide
  1. Data Source: ESO Data Collaborative | WHEN YOUR EMS SYSTEM IS OUT OF TRUCKS — HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH CALLS CAN WAIT? | A 2024 study of 1.7M dispatches changes the answer. | Swipe right
  2. Data Source: ESO Data Collaborative | THE OLD MENTAL MODEL | USE DETERMINANT LEVEL ALONE. | Acuity tells you which calls can wait. | OMEGA | Non-acute — probably safe to wait | ALPHA | Lower acuity — usually safe to wait | BRAVO | Emergent | CHARLIE | Emergent | DELTA | Critical — dispatch now | ECHO | Critical — dispatch now | And mostly... it works. | Swipe right
  3. Data Source: ESO Data Collaborative | BUT HERE'S THE CATCH | ACUITY ALONE ISN'T ENOUGH. | A 2024 study of 1.7M dispatches across 8 EMS systems found: | 7 ALPHA + 3 OMEGA protocols carry >10% time-critical risk — unsafe to hold despite low-acuity labels | Some BRAVO/CHARLIE/DELTA protocols are actually safe to hold despite "emergent" labels | The chief complaint matters as much as the acuity. | Source: Levy et al., Prehospital Emergency Care, 2024 | Swipe right
  4. Data Source: ESO Data Collaborative | THE NEW MENTAL MODEL | USE PROTOCOL + DETERMINANT TOGETHER. | DETERMINANT ONLY | CHIEF COMPLAINT + ACUITY | 8% Safe to hold — meet both low-risk criteria | 52% Unsafe to hold — clear time-critical risk | 40% Middle ground — need local review | Swipe right
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