Reflections on Twenty Years of Prehospital Care

Abstract

Although Accident and Emergency staff may feel that prehospital care is the province of the ambulance service alone, their interest in this area is important. Both A&E doctors and nurses have an important role to play in the training of paramedics, and in some circumstances in the direct provision of prehospital care. Physician involvement in routine prehospital care, whether by land or helicopter transport, is still controversial. This paper reviews some of the issues involved in prehospital care over the last twenty years, in addition to a personal perspective from the author. In the absence of a firm evidence base to lead the way to future development in Hong Kong, more research will be needed by doctors, nurses and ambulance staff.