Background: The Austrian emergency medical services are facing growing challenges due to various factors. Advancing digitalization should make it possible to streamline processes and make them more efficient, support decision-making and ensure the long-term quality of care for patients. Internationally, there are already isolated AI applications in emergency medical services that underscore the feasibility and relevance of such approaches. This thesis examines the current and planned use of AI in Austrian emergency medical services. Methods: From July to August 2025, an interview-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among leadership personnel of all Austrian EMS organizations. Using a pretested questionnaire adapted for Austria and based on two publications, we assessed the use of digital tools (AI/non-AI), perceptions of AI (organization-wide/national), and the use of big data. Indices were constructed from two thematic blocks. Analyses were descriptive and employed the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test (α = 0.05). Results: Twenty-three of 25 organizations participated (92%), representing approximately 99% of the workforce. Non-AI digital tools are widespread, including digital transmission of patient care reports, invehicle phones, digital guidelines, and digital documentation. By contrast, interfaces with hospitals (pre-notification, capacity queries), interpreting services, and tele-emergency physician options are heterogeneous and in some cases only piloted. AI largely remains outside routine operations; however, stand-alone tools are already used for dispatch support, CPR/AED optimization, and ECG interpretation. Pilot projects include triage/outcome prediction, estimation of EMS demand, and prehospital decision support. Six of 23 organizations report active AI projects in diagnostics, triage, AIassisted call handling/dispatch, and ECG diagnostics. Future use is considered likely within organizations, but more cautiously at the national level. The feasibility of a cross-organizational database was considered rather unlikely. Use of digital tools is significantly associated with planned AI adoption (p = 0.006). Conclusions: While Austrian EMS has a solid digital foundation, only few AI tools are currently in use. Short-term priorities include AI-supported dispatch and demand forecasting, as well as triage, ECG diagnostics and decision support. Overall, the results indicate that the existing digital infrastructure with ongoing AI pilot projects could be used to develop a secure, high-quality AI support for Austrian emergency services in the future.
Digitale Technologien im österreichischen Rettungsdienst mit Fokus auf Künstliche Intelligenz: Status quo und Zukunftsperspektiven
Anleitner, M. B. (Author). 2025
Student thesis: Master's Thesis