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. 2021 May 6;21(1):151.
doi: 10.1186/s12911-021-01503-z.

Priority setting in the Brazilian emergency medical service: a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)

Talita D C Frazão  1 , Ana F A Dos Santos  2 , Deyse G G Camilo  2 , João Florêncio da Costa Júnior  2 , Ricardo P de Souza  2
Affiliations

Priority setting in the Brazilian emergency medical service: a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)

Talita D C Frazão et al. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. .

Abstract

Background: Despite the proven value of multicriteria decision analysis in the health field, there is a lack of studies focused on prioritising victims in the Emergency Medical Service, EMS. With this, and knowing that the decision maker needs a direction on which choice may be the most appropriate, based on different and often conflicting criteria. The current work developed a new model for prioritizing victims of SAMU/192, based on the multicriteria decision methodology, taking into account the scarcity of resources.

Methods: An expert panel and a discussion group were formed, which defined the limits of the problem, and identified the evaluation criteria for choosing a victim, amongst four alternatives illustrated from hypothetical scenarios of emergency situations-clinical and traumatic diseases of absolute priority. For prioritization, an additive mathematical method was used that aggregates criteria in a flexible and interactive version, FITradeoff.

Results: The structuring of the problem led the researchers to identify twenty-five evaluation criteria, amongst which ten were essential to guide decisions. As a result, in the simulation of prioritization of four requesting victims in view of the availability of only one ambulance, the proposed model supported the decision by suggesting the prioritization of one of the victims.

Conclusions: This work contributed to the prioritization of victims using multicriteria decision support methodology. Selecting and weighing the criteria in this study indicated that the protocols that guide regulatory physicians do not consider all the criteria for prioritizing victims in an environment of scarcity of resources. Finally, the proposed model can support crucial decision based on a rational and transparent decision-making process that can be applied in other EMS.

Keywords: Emergency medical service; FITradeoff; Mlticriteria decision analysis; Prioritization criteria; Prioritizing victims; Shortage of resources.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The operation of SAMU/192
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Decision criteria assessed by the expert group
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Objective, criteria and alternatives of the proposed model
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Ordering of the criteria
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Pairs of consequences and the chosen scenarios
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Weight ranges
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Alternatives found during the execution of the sensitivity analysis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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