Factors Associated With Prolonged Ambulance TurnaroundTime in a Large Quebec Health Network:A Two-Year Retrospective Study
Background
Ambulance turnaround time (TAT), defined as the interval from ambulance arrival at the emergency department (ED) to vehicle readiness for a new call, is a key performance indicator for emergency medical services (EMS). Prolonged TAT reduces ambulance availability, compromises system efficiency, and may adversely affect patient outcomes. In Quebec, performance targets require that 80% of TATs be under 35 minutes and 98% under 45 minutes.
Objective
This study aimed to identify factors associated with ambulance TAT exceeding 45 minutes across hospitals within the Mauricie-Centre du Quebec Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS MCQ) over two consecutive fiscal years.
Methods
A retrospective observational study was conducted using anonymized EMS operational data from the PACQSPU database. All ambulance calls recorded between April 2023 to March 2024 and April 2024 to March 2025 were analyzed. Calls with TAT >45 minutes were examined according to month, time of day, call priority, receiving hospital, and day of the week.
Results
Of 118 953 ambulance calls, approximately 23 to 25% exceeded the 45-minute TAT threshold in both years. Delays occurred predominantly during daytime shifts and weekdays. Priority levels P1 and P3 accounted for most delayed calls, while P0 calls showed the highest proportion of prolonged TAT. Urban hospitals, particularly the regional referral center, exhibited higher delay rates.