INTRODUCTION Widespread use of smartphones allows automatic geolocalization (i.e., transmission of location data) in countless apps. Until now, this technology has not been routinely used in connection with an emergency call in which location data play a decisive role This study evaluated a new software automatically providing emergency medical service (EMS) dispatchers with a caller's geolocation. We hypothesized that this technology will provide higher accuracy, faster dispatching of EMS and a faster beginning of thoracic compressions in a cardiac arrest scenario. MATERIAL AND METHODS Approval from the local Ethics Committee was obtained. 108 simulated emergency calls reporting a patient in cardiac arrest were conducted at 54 metropolitan locations, which were chosen according to a realistic pattern. At each location, a conventional emergency call, with an oral description of the location, was given first; subsequently, another call using an app with automatic geolocation was placed. Accuracy of localization, time to location, time to EMS dispatch and time to first thoracic compression were compared between both groups. RESULTS The conventional emergency call was always successful (n = 54). Emergency call via app worked successfully in n = 46 cases (85.2%). Automatic geolocation was provided to EMS in all these n = 46 cases (100%). Deviation from estimated position to actual position was 1,173.5 ± 4,343.1 m for conventional and 65.6 ± 320.5 m for automatic geolocalization (p < 0.001). In addition, time to localization was significantly shorter using automatic geolocalization (34.7 vs. 71.7 s, p < 0.001). Time to first thoracic compression was significantly faster in the geolocalization group (83.0 vs. 122.6 s; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This pilot study showed that automatic geolocalization leads to a significantly shorter duration of the emergency call, significantly shorter times until the beginning of thoracic compressions, and a higher precision in determining the location of an emergency.

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紧急呼叫期间智能手机位置自动地理定位的准确性 - 一项试点研究

简介 智能手机的广泛使用允许在无数应用程序中进行自动地理定位（即位置数据的传输）。到目前为止，这项技术还没有经常用于紧急呼叫，其中位置数据起着决定性作用。这项研究评估了一种新软件，可自动为紧急医疗服务 (EMS) 调度员提供呼叫者的地理位置。我们假设这项技术将提供更高的准确性、更快的 EMS 调度以及在心脏骤停情况下更快地开始胸外按压。材料和方法获得当地伦理委员会的批准。在 54 个城市地点进行了 108 次模拟紧急呼叫，报告了一名心脏骤停患者，这些地点是根据现实模式选择的。在每个地点，首先进行常规紧急呼叫，并口头说明位置；随后，使用具有自动地理定位功能的应用程序拨打了另一个电话。比较两组的定位精度、定位时间、EMS 调度时间和首次胸外按压时间。结果 常规紧急呼叫总是成功的（n = 54）。通过应用程序的紧急呼叫在 n = 46 例 (85.2%) 中成功运作。在所有这些 n = 46 个案例 (100%) 中，向 EMS 提供了自动地理定位。常规位置与实际位置的偏差为 1,173.5 ± 4,343.1 m，自动地理定位为 65.6 ± 320.5 m (p < 0.001)。此外，使用自动地理定位（34.7 对 71.7 秒，p < 0.001），定位时间显着缩短。地理定位组的第一次胸部按压时间明显更快（83.0 秒与 122.6 秒；p < 0.001）。结论 这项试点研究表明，自动地理定位显着缩短了紧急呼叫的持续时间，显着缩短了胸外按压开始前的时间，并提高了确定紧急情况位置的精度。