Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland
Abstract This study analyses Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reaction times and call volumes in Małopolska, Poland, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023). The main objective was to evaluate healthcare system strain under different phases of the pandemic and to identify temporal pattern...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14324-1 |
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| _version_ | 1849226436588601344 |
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| author | Michał Lupa Monika Chuchro |
| author_facet | Michał Lupa Monika Chuchro |
| author_sort | Michał Lupa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study analyses Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reaction times and call volumes in Małopolska, Poland, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023). The main objective was to evaluate healthcare system strain under different phases of the pandemic and to identify temporal patterns affecting EMS performance. Using statistical analyses, we investigated correlations between EMS call volumes and reaction times across various temporal scales, including hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly patterns. Results showed significant increases in EMS reaction times during pandemic peaks, especially during the vaccination rollout phase, correlating strongly with increased call volumes. The highest reaction delays occurred in December, weekends, and evening hours. Despite high call volumes, reaction times improved in later pandemic stages, indicating effective adaptation of EMS strategies. Seasonal and daily cyclicality in call patterns suggests opportunities for optimized resource allocation. The study highlights the resilience and adaptability of EMS systems under crisis conditions and recommends dynamic allocation strategies, accurate demand forecasting, and improved crisis communication. These findings offer critical insights for enhancing future EMS crisis management strategies and operational preparedness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8d795a08a64e4f38ba29dcd4115bb4ba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-8d795a08a64e4f38ba29dcd4115bb4ba2025-08-24T11:20:29ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-14324-1Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern PolandMichał Lupa0Monika Chuchro1Faculty of Space Technologies, AGH University of KrakowDepartment of Geoinformatics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of KrakowAbstract This study analyses Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reaction times and call volumes in Małopolska, Poland, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023). The main objective was to evaluate healthcare system strain under different phases of the pandemic and to identify temporal patterns affecting EMS performance. Using statistical analyses, we investigated correlations between EMS call volumes and reaction times across various temporal scales, including hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly patterns. Results showed significant increases in EMS reaction times during pandemic peaks, especially during the vaccination rollout phase, correlating strongly with increased call volumes. The highest reaction delays occurred in December, weekends, and evening hours. Despite high call volumes, reaction times improved in later pandemic stages, indicating effective adaptation of EMS strategies. Seasonal and daily cyclicality in call patterns suggests opportunities for optimized resource allocation. The study highlights the resilience and adaptability of EMS systems under crisis conditions and recommends dynamic allocation strategies, accurate demand forecasting, and improved crisis communication. These findings offer critical insights for enhancing future EMS crisis management strategies and operational preparedness.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14324-1 |
| spellingShingle | Michał Lupa Monika Chuchro Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland Scientific Reports |
| title | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland |
| title_full | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland |
| title_fullStr | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland |
| title_short | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in southern poland |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14324-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michałlupa impactofcovid19pandemicphasesonemergencymedicalservicesreactiontimesinsouthernpoland AT monikachuchro impactofcovid19pandemicphasesonemergencymedicalservicesreactiontimesinsouthernpoland |