{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,15]],"date-time":"2026-11-15T06:27:05Z","timestamp":1794724025947,"version":"4.9.1"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]],"date-time":"2025-11-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762905600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":11,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,23]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of emergency medical communication centre (EMCC) operators and helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) physicians following the introduction of an on-site HEMS physician in a Norwegian EMCC.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The study was designed as a qualitative focus group study. Data from the focus groups were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Setting<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The intervention was implemented at the regional EMCC and one HEMS base in mid-Norway.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Participants<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Seven HEMS physicians and 22 EMCC operators from the EMCC and HEMS base in Trondheim, Norway, participated in the focus groups.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Intervention<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>From 1 February to 5 July 2024, an on-site EMCC physician was introduced in Trondheim EMCC, being responsible for medical decision-making in HEMS dispatches during working hours in the intervention period.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The analysis revealed two overarching themes: (1) perceived impact on the decision-making process in HEMS dispatch and (2) increased trust through mutual learning and closer relationships. Overall, the study participants reported positive experiences with the intervention. They experienced that an on-site physician improved the basis for decision-making in HEMS dispatch, allowing for quicker decisions. The participants were uncertain regarding whether this led to more accurate HEMS dispatch decisions. They valued the opportunity to better understand each other\u2019s skills and build stronger professional relationships.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Both EMCC operators and HEMS physicians experienced improved decision-making and faster dispatch conclusions in HEMS dispatch following the intervention. The high level of medical education and guideline adherence among EMCC operators questions the impact on HEMS dispatch accuracy following the intervention.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-106150","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]],"date-time":"2025-11-12T11:25:57Z","timestamp":1762946757000},"page":"e106150","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Introducing an on-site Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) physician in a Norwegian Emergency Medical Communication Centre: a focus group study on the experiences of operators and physicians"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Kari","family":"Sand","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"SINTEF Digital, Trondheim, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8721-4217","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ole Erik","family":"Ulvin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway"},{"name":"Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway"},{"name":"Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway"},{"name":"Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Line","family":"Melby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SINTEF Digital, Trondheim, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10903127.2019.1635670"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1071\/AH09866"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6963-14-380","article-title":"Trends of pre-hospital emergency medical services activity over 10 years: a population-based registry analysis","volume":"14","author":"Pittet","year":"2014","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"854","DOI":"10.1080\/10903127.2021.1967534","article-title":"Appropriate Air Medical Services Utilization and Recommendations for Integration of Air Medical Services Resources into the EMS System of Care: A Joint Position Statement and Resource Document of NAEMSP, ACEP, and AMPA","volume":"25","author":"Lyng","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prehosp Emerg Care"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s13049-023-01094-w","article-title":"Nine golden codes: improving the accuracy of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) dispatch-a retrospective, multi-organisational study in the East of England","volume":"31","author":"Edmunds","year":"2023","journal-title":"Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1460408617721565"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s13049-021-00917-y","article-title":"Evaluating a training intervention for improving alignment between emergency medical telephone operators and callers: a pilot study of communication behaviours","volume":"29","author":"Gerwing","year":"2021","journal-title":"Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/1757-7241-19-19","article-title":"Implementation of a new emergency medical communication centre organization in Finland--an evaluation, with performance indicators","volume":"19","author":"Lindstr\u00f6m","year":"2011","journal-title":"Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s12873-024-01129-0","article-title":"Factors affecting emergency medical dispatchers decision making in stroke calls - a qualitative study","volume":"24","author":"Jamtli","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Emerg Med"},{"key":"2026111421165968000_15.11.e106150.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2023-077395","article-title":"Can video communication in the emergency medical communication centre improve dispatch precision? 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Rekvirering, varsling, koordinering og flight following av luftambulansehelikopter. 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