Out-of-hospital care of pediatric patients

Ill and injured children have better outcomes when care is provided within the context of an organized system of care. Out-of-hospital care has many c omponents and individuals who are part of this system of care. All provider s must know their roles within the context of the emergency medical service s (EMS) system.This article discusses the US EMS for Children Program, the components of an EMS system critical to the care of children, and issues re levant to the future of EMS for children; it highlights recent important co mmittee and task force work in the out-of-hospital care of children; and it summarizes significant research in the area of out-of-hospital pediatric c are.