The burden of diabetic emergencies on the resuscitation area of a district-level public hospital in Cape Town.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes and its complications continue to cause a daunting and growing concern on resource-limited environments. There is a paucity of data relating to the care of diabetic emergencies in the emergency centres of entry-level hospitals in Africa. The aim of this study was to describe the burden of diabetic emergencies presenting to the emergency centre of an urban district-level hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. METHODS: The Khayelitsha Hospital Emergency Centre database was retrospectively analysed for patients presenting with a diabetic emergency within a 24-week randomly selected period. The database was supplemented by a retrospective chart review to include additional variables for participants with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), uncomplicated hyperglycaemia, severe hypoglycaemia and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS). Summary statistics are presented of all variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of all diabetic emergencies was 8.1% (197/2424) (DKA n = 96, 48.7%; uncomplicated hyperglycaemia n = 45, 22.8%; severe hypoglycaemia n = 44, 22.3%; HHS n = 12, 6%). The median age was 48 years, with those presenting with DKA being substantially younger (36 years). A likely precipitant was identified in 175 (88%) patients; infection was the most common precipitant (n = 79, 40.1%). Acute kidney injury occurred in 80 (40.6%) cases. The median length of stay in the resuscitation area was 13 h (IQR 7.2-24) and 101 (51.3%) participants represented with a diabetic- related emergency within six months of the study period. The overall mortality rate was 5% (n = 10). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the high burden of diabetic emergencies on the provision of acute care at a district-level hospital. The high prevalence of diabetic emergencies (8%) consisted of DKA (48.7%), uncomplicated hyperglycaemia (22.8%), severe hypoglycaemia (22.3%), and HHS (6%). The high infection rate (40%) and the high percentage of patients returning with a diabetic emergency (51%) could be indicative of the need for improved community-based diabetic programmes.

Demographics and clinical characteristics of hospitalised patients under investigation for COVID-19 with an initial negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is placing abnormally high and ongoing demands on healthcare systems. Little is known about the full effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on diseases other than COVID-19 in the South African setting. OBJECTIVE: To describe a cohort of hospitalised patients under investigation for SARS-CoV-2 that initially tested negative. METHODS: Consecutive patients hospitalised at Khayelitsha Hospital from April to June 2020, whose initial polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-CoV-2 was negative were included. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, ICD-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision) diagnosis, referral to tertiary level facilities and ICU, and all-cause in-hospital mortality were collected. The 90-day re-test rate was determined and comparisons were made using the χ2-test and the independent samples median test. RESULTS: Overall, 261 patients were included: median age 39.8 years, 55.6% female (n = 145). Frequent comorbidities included HIV (41.4%), hypertension (26.4%), and previous or current tuberculosis (24.1%). Nine (3.7%) patients were admitted to ICU and 38 (15.6%) patients died. Ninety-three patients (35.6%) were re-tested and 21 (22.6%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The top primary diagnoses related to respiratory diseases (n = 82, 33.6%), and infectious and parasitic diseases (n = 62, 25.4%). Thirty-five (14.3%) had a COVID-19 diagnostic code assigned (26 without microbiological confirmation) and 43 (16.5%) had tuberculosis. Older age (p = 0.001), chronic renal impairment (p = 0.03) and referral to higher level of care (all p < 0.001; ICU p = 0.03) were more frequent in those that died. CONCLUSION: Patients with tuberculosis and other diseases are still presenting to emergency centres with symptoms that may be attributable to SARS-CoV-2 and requiring admission. Extreme vigilance will be necessary to diagnosis and treat tuberculosis and other diseases as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A cross sectional study of the availability of paediatric emergency equipment in South African emergency units.

BACKGROUND: Despite children representing a significant proportion of Emergency Unit (EU) attendances globally, it is concerning that many healthcare facilities are inadequately equipped to deliver paediatric resuscitation. The rapid availability of a full range of paediatric emergency equipment is critical for delivery of effective, best-practice resuscitation. This study aimed to describe the availability of essential, functional paediatric emergency resuscitation equipment on or close to the resuscitation trolley, in 24-hour EUs in Cape Town, South Africa. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted over a six-month period in government funded hospital EUs, providing 24-hour emergency paediatric care within the Cape Town Metropole. A standardised data collection sheet of essential resuscitation equipment expected to be available in the resuscitation area, was used. Items were considered to be available if at least one piece of equipment was present. Functionality of available equipment was defined as: equipment that hadn't expired, whose original packaging was not outwardly damaged or compromised and all components were present and intact. RESULTS: Overall, a mean of 43% (30/69) of equipment was available on the resuscitation trolley across all hospitals. The overall mean availability of equipment in the resuscitation area was 49% (34/69) across all hospitals. Mean availability of functional equipment was 42% (29/69) overall, 41% (28/69) at district-level hospitals, and 45% (31/69) at regional/tertiary hospitals. CONCLUSION: Essential resuscitation equipment for children is insufficiently available at district-level and higher hospitals in the Cape Town Metropole. This is a modifiable barrier to the provision of high-quality paediatric emergency care.

A comparison of trauma scoring systems for injuries presenting to a district-level urban public hospital in Western Cape.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is a major public health issue and has an extensive burden on the health system in South Africa. Many trauma scoring systems have been developed to estimate trauma severity and predict mortality. The prediction of mortality between different trauma scoring systems have not been compared at district-level health facilities in South Africa. The objective was to compare four trauma scoring systems (injury severity score (ISS), revised trauma score (RTS), Kampala trauma score (KTS), trauma and injury severity score (TRISS)) in predicting mortality in trauma-related patients presenting to a district-level hospital in Cape Town. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all trauma patients managed in the resuscitation unit of Khayelitsha Hospital during a six-month period. Logistic regression was done, and empirical cut-off points used to maximise sensitivity and specificity on receiver operating characteristic curves. The outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: In total, 868 participants were analysed after 50 were excluded due to missing data. The mean (± SD) age was 28 ± 11 years, 726 (83.6%) were males, and penetrating injuries (n = 492, 56.6%) dominated. The mortality rate was 5.2% (n = 45). TRISS was the best mortality predictor (c-statistic 0.93, sensitivity 90%, specificity 87%). All scoring systems had overlapping confidence intervals. CONCLUSION: TRISS, ISS, RTS and KTS performed equivocally in predicting mortality in trauma-related patients managed at a district-level facility. The appropriate scoring system should be the simplest one which can be practically implemented and will likely differ between facilities.

A descriptive analysis of the effect of the national COVID-19 lockdown on the workload and case mix of patients presenting to a district-level emergency centre in Cape Town, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: The global COVID-19 pandemic caused many countries to institute nationwide lockdowns to limit the spread of the disease. OBJECTIVES: To describe the effect of the national COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa (SA) on the workload and case mix of patients presenting to a district-level emergency centre. METHODS: The electronic patient tracking and registration database at Mitchells Plain Hospital, a district-level hospital in Cape Town, was retrospectively analysed. The 5-week lockdown period (27 March - 30 April 2020) was compared with a similar period immediately before the lockdown (21 February - 26 March). A comparison was also made with corresponding time periods during 2018 and 2019. Patient demographics, characteristics, diagnoses and disposition, as well as process times, were compared. RESULTS: A total of 26 164 emergency centre visits were analysed (8 297 in 2020, 9 726 in 2019, 8 141 in 2018). There was a reduction of 15% in overall emergency centre visits from 2019 to 2020 (non-trauma 14%, trauma 20%). A 35% decrease was seen between the 2020 lockdown period and the 5-week period before lockdown (non-trauma 33%, trauma 43%), and the reduced number of visits stayed similar throughout the lockdown period. The median age increased by 5 years during the 2020 lockdown period, along with an 8% decrease in patients aged <12 years. High-acuity patients increased by 6% and the emergency centre mortality rate increased by 1%. All process times were shorter during the lockdown period (time to triage -24%, time to consultation -56%, time to disposition decision -29%, time in the emergency centre -20%). CONCLUSIONS: The SA national COVID-19 lockdown resulted in a substantial decrease in the number of patients presenting to the emergency centre. It is yet to be seen how quickly emergency centre volumes will recover as lockdown measures are eased.

Demographics and predictors of mortality in children undergoing resuscitation at Khayelitsha Hospital, Western Cape, South Africa

Background. The clinical outcomes of paediatric patients requiring resuscitation depend on physicians with specialised knowledge,equipment and resources owing to their unique anatomy, physiology and pathology. Khayelitsha Hospital (KH) is a government hospital located near Cape Town, South Africa, that sees ~44 000 casualty unit patients per year and regularly functions at more than 130% of the bed occupancy. Many of these patients are children requiring resuscitation.Objectives. We sought to describe characteristics of children under the age of 12 who required resuscitation upon presentation to KH,determine predictors of mortality, and compare paediatric volume to specialist physician presence in the unit.Methods. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients younger than 12 years who were treated in the resuscitation area of KH during the six-month period from 1 November 2014 to 30 April 2015.Results. A total 317 patients were enrolled in the study with a median age of 14 months. The top 5 diagnoses were: pneumonia (n=58/317);neonatal sepsis (n=40/317); seizures (n=37/317); polytrauma (n=32/317); and acute gastroenteritis complicated by septic shock (n=28/317). Overall mortality was 7% (n=21/317) and mortality in children less than 1 month of age was 12% (n=5/42). Premature birth was associated with a mortality odds ratio of 8.44 (p=0.002). More than two-thirds (73%; n=231/317) of paediatric resuscitations occurred when specialist physicians were not physically present in the unit.Conclusion. The study findings indicate that children under one month of age with a history of prematurity are at high risk and may benefit most from paediatric-specific expertise and rapid transfer to a higher level of care

African emergency care providers' attitudes and practices towards research.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency care research in Africa is not on par with other world regions. The study aimed to assess the perceptions and practices towards research among current emergency care providers in Africa. METHODS: A survey was sent to all individual members of the African Federation of Emergency Medicine. The survey was available in English and French. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-eight responses were analysed (invited n = 540, responded n = 188, 34.8%, excluded n = 20). Responders' mean age was 36.3 years (SD = 9.1); 122 (72.6%) were male, 104 (61.9%) were doctors, and 127 (75.6%) were African trained. Thirty-seven (22%) have never been involved in research; 33 (19.6%) have been involved in ⩾5 research projects. African related projects were mostly relevant to African audiences (n = 106, 63.1%). Ninety-four (56%) participants have never published. Forty-one (24.4%) were not willing to publish in open access journals requesting a publication fee; 65 (38.7%) will consider open access journals if fees are sponsored. Eighty responders (47.6%) frequently experienced access block to original articles due to subscription charges. Lack of research funding (n = 108, 64.3%), lack of research training (n = 86, 51.2%), and lack of allocated research time (n = 76, 45.2%) were the main barriers to research involvement. Improvement of research skills (n = 118, 70.2%) and having research published (n = 117, 69.6%) were the top motivational factors selected. Responders agreed that research promotes critical thinking (n = 137, 81.5%) and serve as an important educational tool (n = 134, 80.4%). However, 134 (79.8%) feel that emergency care workers need to be shown how to use research to improve clinical practice. Most agreed that insufficient emergency care research is being conducted in Africa (n = 113, 67.3%). DISCUSSION: There is scope to increase research involvement in emergency care in Africa, but solutions need to be find to address lack of research-related funding, training and time.

INTRODUCTION: La recherche sur les soins d'urgence en Afrique n'est pas au même niveau que dans d'autres régions du monde. L'étude visait à évaluer les perceptions et les pratiques à l'égard de la recherche au sein des fournisseurs de soins d'urgence en Afrique. MÉTHODE: Une enquête a été envoyée à tous les membres de la Fédération africaine de la médecine d'urgence. L'enquête était disponible en anglais et en français. RÉSULTATS: Cent soixante-huit réponses ont été analysées (invitation n = 540, réponses n = 188, exclus n = 20). L'âge moyen des personnes interrogées était de 36,3 ans (EC = 9,1); 122 (72,6%) étaient des hommes, 104 (61,9%) étaient des médecins et 127 (75,6%) avaient été formés en Afrique. Trente-sept (22%) n'avaient jamais participé à des projets de recherche; 33 (19,6%) avaient participé à ⩾5 projets de recherche. Les projets relatifs à l'Afrique étaient surtout pertinents pour les publics africains (n = 106, 63,1%). Quatre-vingt-quatorze (56%) participants n'avaient jamais publié. Quarante-et-un (24,4%) ne souhaitaient pas publier dans des revues en accès libre demandant des droits de publication; 65 (38,7%) considéreraient les revues en accès libre sous réserve de financement des frais. Quatre-vingt (47,6%) ont fréquement fait l'expérience du blocage de l'accès aux articles originaux pour des raisons de frais d'abonnement. L'absence de financement de la recherche (n = 108, 64,3%), l'absence de formation à la recherche (n = 86, 51,2%) et l'absence de temps de recherche alloué (n = 76, 45,2%) constituaient les principaux obstacles à la participation à la recherche. L'amélioration des compétences de recherche (n = 118, 70,2%) et la publication des travaux de recherche (n = 117, 69,6%) étaient les principaux facteurs de motivation sélectionnés. Les personnes interrogées convenaient que la recherche favorisait la réflexion critique (n = 137, 81,5%) et constituait un outil éducatif important (n = 134, 80,4%). Cependant, 134 (79,8%) avaient le sentiment que les spécialistes des soins d'urgence devaient recevoir une formation sur l'utilisation de la recherche en vue d'améliorer la pratique clinique. La plupart convenait que la recherche sur les soins d'urgence menée en Afrique était insuffisante (n = 113, 67,3%). DISCUSSION: Il existe une marge pour augmenter l'implication dans la recherche sur les soins d'urgence en Afrique, mais il convient de trouver des solutions pour répondre au manque de financement, de formation et de temps dédiés à la recherche.

Case mix of patients managed in the resuscitation area of a district-level public hospital in Cape Town.

INTRODUCTION: At the core of the district health system is the emergency centre, for many the entry point into the healthcare system. Limited data is available on the patient population served by district-level emergency centres in South Africa. The objective of this study is to describe the case mix of adult patients managed in the resuscitation unit of a district-level hospital in the Western Cape. METHODS: A six-month prospective observational study was conducted in the resuscitation unit of Khayelitsha Hospital. Data were collected by clinicians in the unit by means of a Smartphone application on their own devices. Variables collected included patient demographics, patient acuity, patient comorbidities, diagnosis made in the unit, interventions received, length of stay, and disposition. Summary statistics were used to describe all variables. RESULTS: A total of 2324 patient admissions were analysed. The mean age was 36.9 years with a male predominance (n = 1367, 58.8%). Most patients were triaged into high-acuity categories (n = 1626, 70%). HIV infection was the most common comorbidity (n = 530, 22.8%). Acute medical (n = 1181, 50.8%) and trauma-related patients (n = 928, 39.9%) dominated the cohort. The median length of stay was 195 min and 502 (21.6%) patients were transferred to higher levels of care. There were 74 (3.2%) deaths. CONCLUSION: This study yields novel epidemiological data of emergency care in a district-level emergency centre. It highlights the burden of trauma and acute medical emergencies at the district level and can be used as a foundation for further research to provide targeted and effective healthcare to all citizens.

INTRODUCTION: Le service des urgences se trouve au coeur du système de santé de district, constituant pour nombre de personnes le niveau d'entrée dans le système de santé. Des données limitées sont disponibles sur la population de patients desservie par les services des urgences de district en Afrique du Sud. L'objectif de cette étude est de décrire l'éventail des patients adultes pris en charge au sein du service de réanimation d'un hôpital de district dans la province du Cap occidental. MÉTHODES: Une étude d'observation prospective de six mois a été réalisée au sein du service de réanimation de l'hôpital de Khayelitsha. Des données ont été recueillies par les médecins du service à l'aide d'une application pour mobiles utilisée sur leurs propres smartphone. Les variables recueillies étaient les informations démographiques sur les patients, la gravité de l'état des patients, les comorbidités des patients, le diagnostic établi dans le service, les interventions réalisées, la durée de séjour et la disposition. Des statistiques sommaires ont été utilisées pour décrire toutes les variables. RÉSULTATS: Au total, 2324 admissions de patients ont été analysées. L'âge moyen était de 39,6 ans, avec une prédominance d'hommes (n = 1367, 58,8%). La plupart des patients étaient triés dans des catégories de fort degré de gravité (n = 1626, 70%). L'infection par le VIH constituait la comorbidité la plus fréquente (n = 530, 22,8%). Les patients souffrant de troubles médicaux graves (n = 1181, 50,8%) et victimes de traumatismes (n = 928, 39,9%) dominaient la cohorte. La durée moyenne de séjour était de 195 min et 502 (21,6%) patients ont été transférés vers un niveau de soins supérieur. 74 (3,2%) décès ont été enregistrés. CONCLUSION: Cette étude produit de nouvelles données épidémiologiques sur les soins d'urgence dans un services des urgence de district. Elle souligne l'importance des traumatisme et des urgences médicales graves au niveau du district et peut être utilisée comme base pour une étude supplémentaire afin de fournir des soins ciblés et efficaces à tous les citoyens.

Emergency medicine educational resource use in Cape Town: modern or traditional?

BACKGROUND: The integration of online resources and social media into higher education and continued professional development is an increasingly common phenomenon. OBJECTIVE: To describe the usage of various traditional and modern educational resources by members of the divisions of emergency medicine at Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town. METHODS: Members affiliated with the divisions during 2014 were invited to participate in an online survey. Participants were given 8 weeks to complete the questionnaire; with weekly reminders until they responded or the deadline expired. Summary statistics were used to describe the variables. RESULTS: Eighty-seven divisional members completed the survey (69.6% response rate). The resources most preferred were textbooks (n=78, 89.7%), open access educational resources (n=77, 88.5%) and journals (n=76, 87.4%). Emergency medicine trainees (n=31, 92.1%) and respondents ≤30 years (n=17, 94.4%) were more inclined to use social media. International Emergency Medicine and Critical Care blogs are frequently being used by 71% of respondents. YouTube (35%) and podcasts (21%) were the most commonly used multimedia resources. Computers (desktop and laptop) were most frequently used to access educational resources except for social media where smart phones were preferred. CONCLUSIONS: The use of modern and electronic resources is relatively common, but traditional educational resources are still preferred. This study illustrates an opportunity for greater integration of online resources and social media in educational activities to enhance multimodal and self-directed learning. Specific training in the use of these resources and how to appraise them may further improve their utility.

Miliary tuberculosis: sonographic pattern in chest ultrasound.

Miliary tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by a multitude of small nodular opacities on chest radiography. Despite ultrasound of the chest gaining wider acceptance as a diagnostic tool of lung infections, sonographic changes of pulmonary miliary TB have not yet been reported. Here, we describe B-lines and comet-tail artifacts disseminated throughout multiple lung areas and a pattern of sub-pleural granularity as consistent changes seen in lung ultrasound of ten patients with pulmonary miliary TB diagnosed by chest radiography.

Emergency care research priorities in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Emergency care research is rarely undertaken in low- and middle-income countries. A manageable 'road map' for research in South African (SA) emergency care is needed to address research gaps. OBJECTIVE: To identify, collate and prioritise research topics from identified knowledge gaps in emergency care in SA. METHODS: Seventy-six individuals were invited to participate in a modified Delphi study. Participants were requested to suggest important research topics before rating them. Consensus was achieved when >75% of participants strongly agreed or disagreed. Participants then ranked the agreed statements before selecting the most appropriate methodology relating to study design, funding and collaboration. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty topics were suggested by 31 participants. Topics were collated into 123 statements before participants rated them. Consensus was achieved for 39 statements. The highest-ranked priority in the prehospital group was to determine which prehospital interventions improve outcomes in critically ill patients. The competence of emergency care providers in performing common lifesaving skills was deemed the most important in clinical emergency care. Implementing and reviewing quality improvement systems scored the highest under general systems and safety management. Only 22 statements achieved consensus regarding study design. The National Department of Health was the preferred funding source, while private organisations and emergency care societies were identified as possible collaborative partners. CONCLUSION: This study provides expert consensus on priority research areas in emergency care in SA as a guide for emergency care providers to ensure evidence-based care that is relevant to the SA population.

A 5-year analysis of the helicopter air mercy service in Richards Bay, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: A helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) was established in 2005 in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to provide primary response and inter-facility transfers to a largely rural area with a population of 3.4 million people. OBJECTIVE: To describe the first 5 years of operation of the HEMS. METHODS: A chart review of all flights from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010 was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 1 429 flights were undertaken; 3 were excluded from analysis (missing folders). Most flights (88.4%) were inter-facility transfers (IFTs). Almost 10% were cancelled after takeoff. The breakdown by age was 61.9% adult, 15.1% paediatric and 21.6% neonate. The main indications for IFTs were obstetrics (34.5%), paediatrics (27.9%) and trauma (15.9%). For primary response most cases were trauma (72.9%) and obstetrics (11.3%). The median on-scene time for neonates was significantly longer (48 min, interquartile range (IQR) 35 - 64 min) than that for adults (36 min, IQR 26 - 48; p < 0.001) and paediatrics (36 min, IQR 25 - 51; p < 0.02). On-scene times for doctor-paramedic crews (45 min, IQR 27 - 50) were significantly longer than for paramedic-only crews (38 min, IQR 27 - 57; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The low flight-to-population ratio and primary response rate may indicate under-utilisation of the air medical service in an area with a shortage of advanced life support crews and long transport distances. Further studies on HEMSs in rural Africa are needed, particularly with regard to cost-benefit analyses, optimal activation criteria and triage systems.

Emergency centre investigation of first-onset seizures in adults in the Western Cape, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Patients with first-onset seizures commonly present to emergency centres (ECs). The differential diagnosis is broad, potentially life-threatening conditions need to be excluded, and these patients need to be correctly diagnosed and appropriately referred. There are currently no data on adults presenting with first-onset seizures to ECs in South Africa. OBJECTIVE: To review which investigations were performed on adults presenting with first-onset seizures to six ECs in the Western Cape Province. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 July 2011 to 31 December 2011. All adults with first-onset seizures were included; children and trauma patients were excluded. Subgroup analyses were conducted regarding HIV status and inter-facility variation. RESULTS: A total of 309 patients were included. Computed tomography (CT) scans were planned in 218 (70.6%) patients, but only performed in 169; 96 (56.8%) showed abnormalities judged to be causative (infarction, intracerebral haemorrhage and atrophy being the most common). At least 80% of patients (n=247) received a full renal and electrolyte screen, blood glucose testing and a full haematological screen. Lumbar puncture (LP) was performed in 67 (21.7%) patients, with normal cerebrospinal fluid findings in 51 (76.1%). Only 27 (8%) patients had an electroencephalogram, of which 5 (18%) were abnormal. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of CT scans (p=0.002) and LPs (p<0.001) performed in the HIV-positive group (n=49). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated inconsistency and wide local variance for all types of investigations done. It emphasises the need for a local guideline to direct doctors to appropriate investigations, ensuring better quality patient care and potential cost-saving.

Comparison of mean on-scene times: road versus air transportation of critically ill patients in the Western Cape of South Africa.

BACKGROUND: The South African setting lends itself to the extensive use of air transport. There is a perception with healthcare providers that flight crews spend too much time with a patient before departure. The main advantage of aero medical transport is to minimise the delay to definitive care and prolonged on-scene time defies this objective. A study was carried out to examine the mean on-scene times of aero medical and road transport of critically ill patients in the Western Cape of South Africa. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, all critically ill patients transported in the Western Cape between September 2005 and May 2006 were evaluated. The mean on-scene time for each transport mode was calculated. Road transport was compared with air transport (rotor and fixed wing). Every transport mode was further divided into mission types: "scene" missions (scene to a healthcare facility) or "inter-facility" missions (from one healthcare facility to another). RESULTS: A total of 7924 transports were included in the study, 7580 of which (95.7%) were road transports. The air transport group spent 53.2 min (95% CI 51.1 to 55.4) at the scene compared with 27.9 min (95% CI 27.5 to 28.4) for the road transport group. There was a significant difference between scene and inter-facility missions in the air transport group (mean 31.7 min for scene missions vs 58.7 min for inter-facility missions; p<0.001). A significant difference was also found in the road transport (mean 24.6 min for scene missions vs 31.9 min for inter-facility missions; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The on-scene time for transport missions by road is significantly less than for those done by air. There are significant differences between scene and inter-facility missions in both transport modes. Capacity building programmes with ongoing education and training of staff at referring facilities should be implemented.