Performance Indicators in Emergency Medical Services: A Scoping Review of Dashboard Applications in the Context of Crisis Management.

Authors

Shiva Karimi, Hassan Emami, Farkhondeh Asadi, Milad Ahmadi Marzaleh, Ali Delpisheh, Mojtaba Pourmehdi

Published in

Archives of academic emergency medicine. Volume 14. Issue 1. Pages e50. Epub Sep 07, 2026.

Abstract

Emergency medical services (EMS) are critical for responding to crises and mass casualty incidents (MCIs). Rapid decision-making and effective patient flow management are essential for improving survival. Digital technologies-particularly dashboards-enable real-time monitoring of performance indicators and data-driven decision-making. This scoping review aimed to identify and classify key performance indicators (KPIs) used in EMS and to examine the role of dashboards in monitoring these indicators in both routine and crisis conditions.
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to January 2026, supplemented by gray literature. Two independent reviewers screened titles/abstracts and full texts. Data were extracted using a standardized form and synthesized narratively in accordance with PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines.
Twenty-six studies were included. KPIs were categorized using the Donabedian model into structure (resources), process (response time, triage, coordination), and outcome (survival, satisfaction). Time-based indicators were most frequent. Eight studies (31%) reported dashboards, all in routine operations. Eight studies (31%) used real-time feedback devices (not classified as dashboards), and ten studies (38%) employed other digital tools. Only one study addressed crisis conditions, and it did not use a dashboard.
Dashboards are predominantly applied in routine EMS operations, with very limited evidence in crisis contexts. Developing crisis-specific, context-adaptive dashboards and standardized indicators should be prioritized to support decision-making and coordination in emergencies and disasters.

PMID:
42835713
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 06 Oct 2026.

Read full publication at:
Please sign in to see all details.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this publication? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.