A retrospective analysis of the need for on-site emergency physician presence and mission characteristics of a rural ground-based emergency medical service.

Background: This study aimed to address the challenges faced by rural emergency medical services in Europe, due to an increasing number of missions and limited human resources. The primary objective was to determine the necessity of having an on-site emergency physician (EP), while the secondary objectives included analyzing the characteristics of rural EP missions.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, examining rural EP missions carried out between January 1st, 2017, and December 2nd, 2021 in Burgenland, Austria.