| Abstrakt | | Objectives: This paper aims to analyze in incoming phone calls received by the physicians in prehospital emergency department in Ljubljana and to evaluate the additional (but nowhere recorded) workload presented by responding to phone calls received through various phones. Methods: The research was prospective, conducted from March 10th to May 20th 2003 when all incoming calls on seven phones were recorded. The data, entered into specially prepared tables, were processed using statistical methods. Results: 1826 incoming phone calls were recorded which amounts to an average of 76,08 calls per every twelve-hour shift or 6,34 calls per every hour. The average length of a phone call was 1,64 minutes. 86,2% of phone calls lasted up to 2,5 minutes while 1,4% lasted 6,5 minutes or more. 60% of callers were women and 30% were men. The average length of calls was shortest (1,191 minutes) when received from the Ljubljana Rescue Station. This calls were more frequently urgent (59,6% of all ALS unit interventions). The average length of urgent calls where the decision for ALS unit intervention was taken was significantly shorter than that of non urgent calls (t = 11,651, p = 0,000). On working days the average frequency of calls was significantly higher between 7 pm and 1 am, peak was between 6 and 7 pm. The share of urgent calls was significantly lower during the night (between 1 and 7 am). In 17,8% of cases two or more parallel calls were recorded. Conclusions: The workload that incoming phone calls impose is substantial. It takes up much of our time and requires additional knowledge.
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