Dispatchers in emergency medical coordination centers face the challenge that bystanders can usually only provide verbal information during medical emergency calls. However, accurate information is crucial for dispatching appropriate resources. With the rise of smartphone use, video calls offer new possibilities. However, little is known about the broader impact of video calls on call duration, accuracy, and usability during emergency calls. Twenty dispatchers and 80 laypersons participated in a randomized simulation study. Each dispatcher managed four standardized emergency scenarios, two via audio-only and two via video call, using a web-based platform (FlagMii® EML). Outcomes investigated total call duration, accuracy of the dispatch decision compared to the simulated scenario, and occurrence of technical issues. A linear mixed model was used to analyze the primary outcome. Furthermore, a focus group was held with dispatchers (n = 9) and qualitative data analysis was performed. The median duration of emergency calls was significantly longer in the video group (307 s, IQR 249–369) compared to the audio group (222 s, IQR 175–288), corresponding to a 40% increase (p < 0.001). The accuracy of the dispatch codes with the simulated emergency was higher in the video group (41.1% vs. 25.0%), though this difference did not reach statistical significance (OR 2.71, p = 0.085). The focus group identified six topics of interest: medical, technical, legal/ethical, psychological, institutional, and human/environmental aspects. While video was considered valuable for verifying first aid and assessing urgency, concerns were raised about technical reliability, dispatcher workload, emotional burden, and cultural acceptability. Real-time video emergency calls can support medical dispatchers and may improve assessment accuracy, but at the cost of longer call duration. Implementation should be guided by careful consideration of various factors including technical, ethical, and psychological factors. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of video calls on real-world emergency call performance and patient outcomes. This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06598592) on September, 11 2024.
Krammel et al. (2026) studied this question.