The Prehospital Evidence Based Protocols Project was started in 1998, and physicians
from Dalhousie University, the QEII Health Sciences Center and the IWK Children's & Women's Hospital
in Halifax have served as Section Editors. In an effort to broaden input, we have recently sought interest
from EMS physicians from across Canada.
In the past, EMS has been criticized for their relative lack of randomized controlled studies supporting
prehospital treatment.1, 2, 3Despite this (or because of this) criticism,
research for prehospital care is improving and some evidence does exist to support the
treatment/interventions provided in the prehospital environment. In a recent review of all trials
conducted in the prehospital setting, it was found that the amount of trials increased through the
1970s through to 1999, and 75% of trials were RCTs. 4 The volume and quality of research
conducted in the prehospital setting is increasing, along with the demand
to base paramedic/prehospital interventions on evidence.
Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) is a process used by clinicians which incorporates the best evidence
available from research into the clinical decision-making process. 5
The purposes of the Prehospital Evidence Based Protocols Project are:
to catalogue EMS studies
to stimulate debate and growth towards evidence-based protocols
to be a resource for the development of local EMS protocols; perhaps with a movement
towards "best practice" paramedic protocols.
to be a guide to help recognize opportunities for prehospital research.
to develop a process of using evidence to evaluate practice change suggestions made by paramedics.
