How does EMD differ from traditional dispatching?

EMD, or Emergency Medical Dispatch, is fundamentally different from traditional dispatching in that it engages in medical assessment and guidance tailored to individual patients' needs before emergency responders arrive on the scene. This involves asking a series of critical questions that allow the dispatcher to determine the nature and severity of the medical issue, provide pre-arrival instructions to bystanders or patients, and ensure that appropriate resources are directed to the call. By doing so, EMD not only facilitates an effective response but also enhances patient safety and outcomes through immediate support and information.

In contrast, traditional dispatching typically involves simply relaying information about the incident to responders without any assessment or guidance, focusing solely on the logistics of dispatching teams to locations. This separation highlights the proactive, patient-centered approach that EMD employs compared to the more reactive nature of traditional dispatching methods.