Descriptive characteristics of calls: Of the 272 752 emergency calls received during the study period, 181 674 (67%) were code 04 (life-threatening emergency*) calls, and 3033 (2%) of the code 04 calls were from FPs’ offices; mean age of patients was 51.48 (SD 21.66) years and mean distance to the closest emergency department was 11.95 (SD 7.51) km.
| CHARACTERISTICS | NO. OF CALLS (%)N = 3033 |
|---|---|
| Age of patient, y | |
| • 0–18 (pediatric) | 264 (8.7) |
| • 19–55 | 1319 (43.5) |
| • > 55 | 1450 (47.8) |
| Male patients | 1389 (45.8) |
| Season | |
| • Winter (Jan-Mar) | 801 (26.4) |
| • Spring (Apr-Jun) | 801 (26.4) |
| • Summer (Jul-Sep) | 697 (23.0) |
| • Fall (Oct-Dec) | 734 (24.2) |
| Distance to closest emergency department, km | |
| • 0–14 | 2635 (86.9) |
| • 15–29 | 361 (11.9) |
| • ≥30 | 37 (1.2) |
↵* A call is categorized by the 911 dispatch going through the Ambulance Response Information System II Dispatch Priority Card Index (DCPI) algorithm to determine the urgency of the call. The DCPI is implemented with software programs that are standard across the province of Ontario for all communications centres for 911 calls.