ABSTRACT

The Emergency Medical Services in Poland was constituted to save human health and life. Regardless of applied system solutions, all countries are guided by this assumption. In Poland, the law, which was enforced in 2007, has developed two types of emergency ambulances: one including the doctor (the "S" team), and one with paramedics only (the "P" team). The "S" team should be sent to all life-threatening conditions, and the "P" team to the remaining conditions. It is noteworthy that in some countries there are only basic teams, and their ability of action and pharmacotherapy is imposed by legal regulations operating in the country. In other systems in Europe, the basic team may rely on the support of a doctor that arrives at the emergency site.In the case described, a patient with myocardial infarction (STEMI, ST-elevation myocardial infarction) with complicated pulmonary edema was initially supplied by the basic team. Due to the serious condition of the patient and the limited ability of action, the doctor was asked to support the team. The reported case presents a solution to abandon the permanent specialist teams that is feasible to apply (not only in Poland), and it suggests other solutions increasing efficiency of activities of the rescue teams.