Assessing and improving ambulance coverage in the prefecture of Fez using discrete-event simulation

Abstract

Ambulance coverage is the percentage of demands that can be served within a specified time radius. Emergency medical services (EMS) around the globe aim at improving ambulance coverage by deploying different strategies and tools. This paper aims to propose a discrete-event simulation (DES) model capable of mimicking as closely as possible the functioning of the EMS in the prefecture of Fez, Morocco, to evaluate and improve the ambulance coverage. This study examines the impact of some changes in the system, such as adding ambulance bases and reallocating ambulances, on the system's performance. Results revealed that ambulance coverage could be enhanced significantly by making minor changes to the system: ALS coverage increased from 9.3% to 52.3%, and BLS coverage from 46.7%% to 71.4%. These changes to the system do not require any investment but cooperation actions.