The ongoing demographical and social changes in most European countries, which include low death rates and high longevity among other things, have some ramifications from the medical point of view as well. Over-ageing, increasing number of single households, decreasing age of chronically disabled people, will result in a dramatic increase in emergency situations and missions in Europe, within the next few years.
Already today, 44 percent of emergency medical services (EMS) system resources are dedicated to patients over 70 years. On the downside, this will result in higher costs for the EMS, which already have to cope with cost restrictions today, and in substantially diminished service quality, or, in all probability, in both of these. Unfortunately, a high quality and affordable EMS in case of an emergency medical assistance has emerged as an essential prerequisite for the independent life of elderly people in their preferred environment.
Delayed calls of emergency medical services – in case of physical or mental disorders resulting from strokes or falls, for example
