Impact analysis of a new ambulance-care urgency classification

The Dutch association of ambulance care organisations asked SiRM to analyse the impact of a new urgency classification. We performed an impact analysis based on interviews with emergency care workers and desk research, showing that the new urgency classification is smarter and faster when necessary. We also wrote an implementation plan for establishing the new urgency classification.

Developing an urgency classification that does justice to patients’ medical needs and facilitates collaboration in the emergency-care chain is crucial for better ambulance-care utilisation. With only three degrees of urgency, the Netherland’s current ambulance care urgency classification does not meet this requirement. To design an optimal new urgency classification, the Dutch association of ambulance care organisations (AZN) asked SiRM to conduct an impact analysis of the proposed urgency classification.

Interviews and work sessions with those involved in emergency care were essential to our approach, providing invaluable expert opinion. In addition, we consulted (grey) literature through comprehensive desk research. We then quantified the main effects.

Our impact analysis suggests that the new urgency classification is smarter and faster when necessary. We expect that this newly differentiated urgency classification will improve the quality of emergency care and help deploy emergency care professionals more effectively. To facilitate the manifestation of this potential, we drew up a plan for the sector to successfully implement the new classification.