Characterization of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Cases: Association Between Specific Dispatcher-Assigned Dispatch Determinant Codes and Hospital-Confirmed STEMI Cases in Qatar.

OBJECTIVES

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is an Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) with the greatest risk of death and disability. Getting diagnosed patients rapid definitive treatment at the correct facility is crucial in improving their outcome. Using a Question-and-Answer algorithm (Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS)), trained Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs) can help identifying STEMI at the time of dispatch. This can assist Emergency Medical Services (EMS) pre-planning transport to potential STEMI-receiving hospitals. The study aimed to determine whether hospital-confirmed STEMI cases transported by ambulance are associated with certain dispatch determinant codes and identify the treatments performed.

METHODS

The retrospective study analyzed deidentified dispatch and hospital data of STEMI patients who were transported by Qatar's Ambulance Service between January 2018 and May 2021. Data analysis compared patient demographics with dispatch measures, considering chief complaint and determinant codes, and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) treatment received.

RESULTS

A total of 3,724 STEMI cases with MPDS dispatch codes were retrieved. After excluding patient transfer and pandemic-related cases, a final sample of 2,607 cases was analyzed. Most STEMI patients (86.0%) were classified as high priority levels at dispatch, had chest pain as chief complaint (62.9%), and were male (90.8%). Approximately, 99.0% of the STEMI patients received PCI treatment. Distributions of STEMI cases and PCI treatment did not significantly differ by patient demographics and dispatch measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Qatar's STEMI patients are more likely to be male and to receive adequate acute care irrespective of any demographic factor and despite potential language issues. This study highlights that the chief complaint may be described or interpreted differently when the questioning language is not their mother tongue, or when there is a language barrier between the caller, call taker, or when using the MPDS protocols language or when self-translating questions instantly in another language. Therefore, EMDs should be made aware of the language differences and be encouraged to further clarify the chief complaint when appropriate. There may be a need for potential refinements of the MPDS questioning algorithm and EMD training with AMI symptoms reinforcement. This could help improve their early identification of STEMI cases with non-classic chest pain symptoms.