What are pre-arrival instructions (PAI) used for?

Pre-arrival instructions (PAI) are essential elements of emergency dispatch protocols, particularly in the context of the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). They are designed to offer immediate guidance to callers who are experiencing life-threatening situations. This guidance can include critical steps for performing CPR, using an automatic external defibrillator (AED), managing severe bleeding, or handling other emergencies that require urgent medical intervention.

The focus of PAI is on ensuring the caller understands how to provide immediate, lifesaving care while awaiting the arrival of emergency medical services. This is crucial in life-threatening scenarios, where every second counts and the right actions can significantly impact a patient's outcome.

While options regarding care for non-life-threatening situations, advising on transportation, or guiding families on hospital protocols are relevant in some contexts, they do not encapsulate the primary purpose of PAI, which is specifically aimed at life-threatening conditions. The structural design of MPDS emphasizes PAI to maximize the effectiveness of the response and improve survival or recovery prospects during critical emergencies.