Research on Optimizing Pre-Hospital Response Time and Resource Allocation for an Internet-Plus-Based Emergency Medical Platform

Abstract

To investigate the role of an Internet-Plus-Based smart emergency platform in reducing pre-hospital Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) response time and optimizing dynamic allocation of emergency resources, providing evidence-based support for enhancing emergency care efficiency, a mixed approach was employed including: (1) Quantitative analysis: Comparing response time and dispatch efficiency data (n=12,358 cases) from six months before and after the launch of an Internet-based emergency platform in a city (July 2024–June 2025); (2) Qualitative research: Conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews with 30 pre-hospital emergency nurses and 10 dispatchers, using Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method to extract themes and analyze platform application pain points and improvement directions. The study showed that following platform implementation: Average dispatch response time (from call receipt to vehicle dispatch) decreased from (92.5 ± 15.8) seconds to (38.2 ± 9.4) seconds (t=15.324, P<0.001); and average dispatch response time (from assignment to departure) decreased from (135.6 ± 20.1) seconds to (98.7 ± 14.5) seconds (t=8.912, P<0.001) dramatically in respective. Meanwhile, resource allocation: The proportion of cross-regional collaborative ambulance assignments increased from 15.7% to 28.9% (χ²=210.5, P<0.001). The “resource misallocation rate” (e.g., dispatching non-critical cases to critical care units) based on platform AI triage decreased from 12.5% to 5.8% (χ²=95.7, P<0.001). Besides, nurse satisfaction with “intelligent triage guidance” and “dynamic route planning” functions reached 92%. In conclusion, in the era of Internet Plus and AI, the smart emergency platform integrates data and enables intelligent decision-making, significantly optimizing pre-hospital response workflows and resource allocation efficiency. This represents a core implementation pathway for “Internet Plus Emergency Nursing” and holds significant implications for improving pre-hospital emergency response time. Therefore, future efforts should be focused on balancing technological empowerment with humanistic care while strengthening nurses' information literacy training.