EM residents are required to spend a minimum of 4 hours at the AFD Dispatch Center.  This does not include the visit during intern orientation month.  A certain portion of that time (approximately 1 hour) will be spent observing the dispatch quality assurance officer while he reviews dispatch tapes.  Approximately 3 hours will be spent listening on headsets to dispatchers at work speaking with 911 callers, and interacting with dispatchers and dispatch supervisors.

• Contact person is Captain Mark Garcia (see Contact Information). He will arrange your dispatch experience.

• Residents are encouraged (but not required) to visit the AAS dispatch center and Bernalillo County dispatch center. Brief visits may be incorporated into your ride along with those services.

Learning Objectives:

1.  Understand how 911 system works in Albuquerque.

2.  Understand how EMS dispatch is integrated into the 911 system.

3.  Understand medical priority dispatch and how it is employed in Albuquerque.

4.  Understand how the dispatch center coordinates activities of the fire rescue response, the ambulance transport service, law enforcement, and with other surrounding EMS agencies.

5.  Familiarize yourself with dispatch center quality assurance process.

6.  Understand how dispatchers give emergency care instructions (e.g., CPR, childbirth, bleeding control, etc), over the phone to the lay public.

Required Reading:

1.  Emergency Medical Dispatching NAEMSP Position Paper.  Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Oct-Nov 1989 p 163-168.

2.  A Priority Dispatch System for EMS.  Ann Emerg Med. Nov 1985 p 1055-1060.

3.  Effect of a Comprehensive Quality Management Process on Compliance with Protocol in an Emergency Medical Dispatch Center. Ann Emerg Med Nov 1998. 578-584

4.  Kuehl, Chapters 12, 17-18.
Note: A copy of the "Prehospital Systems and Medical Oversight" by Kuehl that can be "checked out" from the Residency Office. Please contact Sandra Mirabal @ 272-6524, SMirabal@salud.unm.edu