Persiani Niccolò, Giusti Martina, Taiti Francesco, Biancalani Andrea, De Luca Michele, Caldes Maria Josè
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
IRCCS University Children Hospital Meyer, Florence, Italy.
Front Public Health. 2025 Jul 30;13:1568639. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1568639. eCollection 2025.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems worldwide have implemented many health emergency plans to address the crisis. Following initial predominantly hospital-centred approaches, community-based healthcare assistance emerged as a more effective response to the emerging population needs. In low-middle-income countries, and particular in the so-called transition countries, the adaption the complexities of integrating pre-hospital and in-hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMSs) have been particularly challenging due to the absence of a consolidated network among these services. This research aimed to evaluate the emergency healthcare services response to covid-19 pandemic in Albania, as significant transition country.
The country case study methodology was deemed the most fitting approach for this research. Albania was selected as a notable case study due to its continuous endeavours towards achieving national welfare aligned with European standards, especially in the healthcare sector, as it has been moving towards pre-adhesion to the European Union.
Albanian EMSs network demonstrated its capability to update over time the national strategical plan against COVID-19 pandemic according to emerging evidence and the related organizational issues to effectively satisfy population health needs. This adaptability became feasible with the introduction of a modern EMSs system, comprising both pre-hospital and in-hospital dimensions. These two components collaborated and are still collaborating to implement integrated healthcare pathways, each with distinct responsibilities, resources, and protocols.
The development, consolidation, and collaboration between pre-hospital and in-hospital EMSs implemented in Albania have played a crucial role in preventing the collapse of the healthcare system in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Albanian experience provides valuable insights for the reform or to build up EMSs network and healthcare systems in transition countries, drawing upon the lessons learned from the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
在新冠疫情期间，全球医疗系统实施了许多卫生应急计划以应对危机。在最初主要以医院为中心的方法之后，基于社区的医疗援助成为了应对新出现的人群需求的更有效对策。在低收入和中等收入国家，尤其是在所谓的转型国家，由于这些服务之间缺乏统一的网络，整合院前和院内紧急医疗服务（EMS）的复杂性适应起来特别具有挑战性。本研究旨在评估阿尔巴尼亚这个重要转型国家对新冠疫情的紧急医疗服务应对情况。
国家案例研究方法被认为是本研究最合适的方法。阿尔巴尼亚因其不断努力实现符合欧洲标准的国家福利，特别是在医疗领域，且一直在朝着预先加入欧盟的方向发展，故而被选为一个显著的案例研究对象。
阿尔巴尼亚的EMS网络展示了其根据新出现的证据和相关组织问题，随着时间推移更新国家抗击新冠疫情战略计划的能力，以有效满足民众的健康需求。随着一个包括院前和院内层面的现代EMS系统的引入，这种适应性变得可行。这两个组成部分进行了协作，并且仍在协作以实施综合医疗途径，各自承担着不同的职责、资源和规程。
阿尔巴尼亚实施的院前和院内EMS之间的发展、巩固及协作在面对新冠疫情时防止医疗系统崩溃方面发挥了关键作用。阿尔巴尼亚的经验为转型国家改革或建立EMS网络及医疗系统提供了宝贵的见解，借鉴了从新冠疫情带来的挑战中吸取的教训。
