The emergency medical services (EMS) system comprises
several links. Each link depends on the other for success. When
the EMS system works correctly, a victim moves through each link
in the chain, beginning with the actions of a responsible citizen
and ending with care being provided to attempt to restore the
victim to health (First Aid and Emergency Care, n.d.). It is a
system of emergency medical care and coordinated response that
involves numerous individuals and organizations. Every day, a
complete EMS system is prepared for any emergency. As a well-
coordinated and seamless emergency medical treatment system, EMS
is a complex system in which every element plays a crucial
function. EMS is more about medical service than it is about
emergencies.
The citizen responder who saw and initially identified the
injured victim is the first and most crucial link in the EMS
system. They must contact a beat patrol or nearby first
responder, like a police officer, and activate the EMS system by
calling 9-1-1 or a local emergency number. The dispatcher in an
emergency communications center is the second link in the EMS
system. After receiving the call, the dispatcher promptly
ascertains what assistance is required. They then send out the
relevant experts. Dispatchers can teach the caller how to assist
until emergency medical services arrive. The EMS system, the
third link, is the first responder. The first person on the
scene, the first responder, is qualified to give more advanced
care. When an emergency arises, first responders are frequently
the first individuals you call for assistance. They could be
police officers, firefighters, or anyone with comparable duties
about the community's safety and well-being. Because of their
line of work, they frequently work near the incident and are
equipped with the tools and resources needed to offer care. First
responders play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the
primary treatment that citizen responders offer and the advanced
EMS professionals' care. The fourth link of the EMS system is the
emergency medical technician (EMT). An EMT may be able to deliver
more advanced emergency treatment and life-support techniques
like paramedics, depending on their training and certification
level. Paramedics are skilled in advanced airway care, drug
administration, intravenous fluid administration, other life-
saving procedures, and basic life support skills. They have more
training to deal with a broader variety of situations. Paramedics
provide the best quality of care outside of hospitals. Through
direct phone or radio contact, they operate as the hospital
emergency physician's eyes and ears at the incident scene.
The finest possible outdoor medical care is provided to
victims of injury or unexpected illness through the first four
links in the EMS system. After the victim arrives at a hospital
or other medical facility, the emergency department personnel
assumes responsibility for the victim's treatment, forming the
fifth link in the EMS system. Numerous experts, such as Emergency
Room(ER) doctors, nurses, and other medical specialists,
participate as required. Rehabilitation is the EMS system's last
and sixth link. Restoring the victim to their pre-injury status
is the aim of rehabilitation. Other medical specialists
collaborate to treat and rehabilitate the person once they leave
the emergency room. Family doctors, consulting specialists,
social workers, and physical therapists are some of these
experts. The EMS system's six components are connected like a
victim's chain of survival. A victim of an injury or unexpected
sickness can recover to their pre-injury state if the chain is
more potent. All links should work together to give victims of
accidents or unexpected illnesses the most excellent care
possible.
To create a national standard for emergency medical services
and implement procedures during artificial and natural disasters,
the government must institutionalize an Emergency Medical Service
System (EMSS). The government must institutionalize a
comprehensive, accessible, integrated, and standardized emergency
medical services system and optimize the skills and capabilities
of medical staff by Senate Bill No. 1973, also known as the
Emergency Medical Services System Act. According to the bill,
having EMSS available entails quick assessment, early
administration of suitable therapies, and swift transportation to
the closest suitable medical facility using the most effective
techniques to improve survival, manage morbidity, and avoid
impairment (Abasola, 2023). The Philippine EMS can and should be
improved in many ways. Recognizing that the EMS is a component of
the nation's healthcare system is crucial. Therefore, it would be
ideal to improve the nation's EMS by involving all sectors of the
healthcare delivery system. Emergency medical services (EMS) must
be delivered and enhanced: emergency dispatch, emergency response
and care, inter-facility referral and transport, and emergency
transport.
