Call Handling
What are “What is happening?”, “Where is it happening?”, etc?
“Key Questions” that the IAED says must be followed to determine the nature of the call.
What is the MPDS?
Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) is the IAED-approved protocol system for medical dispatching.
What does the letter “D” indicate compared to “C”?
In MPDS coding, a “D” after the letter indicates a higher priority than a “C” (for example, D = more urgent than C).
What happens when a patient is described as unresponsive and not breathing in MPDS?
A caller reports a woman unresponsive and not breathing — the dispatcher uses the “Hands-on-Chest” fast track in MPDS v13 to immediately send resuscitation instructions.
What is Protocol 131 in PPDS?
The PPDS update for Police discipline mentions Protocol 131 for Traffic Collision/Transportation Incident.
What is the Code of Ethics for IAED-certified personnel?
According to IAED standards, the dispatcher should put the public’s need above their own and seek continuing education
What is FPDS 7.0?
IAED’s fire dispatch standard is called the Fire Priority Dispatch System (FPDS) Version 7.0.
What does the “E” priority level signify in MPDS?
The letter “E” in an MPDS determinant (e.g., 9-E-1) indicates the highest priority among the A-E scale for that complaint.
What code corresponds to a fall from height causing unconsciousness in MPDS?
A fall from over 6 feet with unconscious victim in MPDS would likely hit determinant code “17-D-1” (Fall, Dangerous Body Area) in the example list.
Which PPDS protocol number covers Fraud/Forgery?
In the IAED-approved police dispatch protocols, a call that involves fraud or forgery is under Protocol 118 and is now eligible for Ω code suffix in version 7.0.
What are PAIs and PDIs?
IAED protocol calls for pre-arrival instructions (PAIs) and post-dispatch instructions (PDIs) during call handling.
What is the format of a MPDS determinant code?
In the MPDS coding structure, the format number-letter-number (e.g., 9-E-1) is used, where the letter indicates priority (A-E) or other special codes (Ω).
What kind of situation is indicated by an “A” level code in MPDS?
A code such as 3-A-3 (Animal Bites) is a lower priority “A” level in MPDS, meaning non-life-threatening.
Which MPDS code might be used for chest pain in a younger, low-risk patient?
For a patient with chest pain, breathing normally and under 35 y/o with no history, MPDS would assign a lower priority (e.g., 10-A-1) rather than a high-priority code.
Which protocol covers “lock-out/lock-in” scenarios?
The IAED provides a standard for police dispatch that includes “lock-out / lock-in” incidents and coding (per the Journal sample question about 125‐A‐1, etc).
What is the requirement under the IAED Code of Conduct?
By the IAED standard, dispatchers must follow their employer’s policies and the Academy’s protocol including “Key Questioning, Determinant Coding, Post-Dispatch Instructions, Critical ED Information”.
What are some key changes in MPDS v14.0?
MPDS version 14.0 includes updates to Protocol 25 (Psychiatric/Mental Health/Suicide Attempt) and adds “Prone CPR” pre-arrival instructions.
What does the determinant 9-E-1 denote?
According to IAED/MPDS, the code 9-E-1 would indicate a presumed or evident cardiac/respiratory arrest (life-threatening).
What MPDS code could apply to overdose with unconscious patient?
An overdose call where the patient is unconscious is coded under MPDS “23-D-1” (Overdose, Unconscious) per the sample list.
What do suffixes like E, V, W, X in PPDS allow?
The PPDS determinant suffixes E, V, W, X allow qualifying for EMS, Fire/Rescue, HAZMAT in Protocol 131.
What are the benchmarks for IAED accreditation?
The IAED refers to the “20 Points of Excellence” for an accredited Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) center.
What initial focus does the dispatcher use in MPDS?
According to IAED, for medical calls the dispatcher’s initial focus is to exclude the possibility of cardiac arrest, before selecting the keyword.
What does the first number in a PPDS or MPDS code represent?
In IAED standards, the prefix number in the determinant corresponds to the call type/keyword (e.g., “29” for Traffic Collision/Transportation Incident in PPDS).
What is the difference between priority categories A/B vs C/D in MPDS?
According to IAED research, medical priority dispatch codes are compared with Early Warning Scores; priority A & B indicate serious threat to vital functions, C & D lower urgency.
Which PPDS protocols are noted primarily for low-acuity events?
According to IAED’s police standards, Protocols 103, 125, 128 are primarily for low-acuity events (with exceptions).