Planning recommendations for international emergency medicine and out-of-hospital care system development

Objectives: To present suggestions on planning for development of emergency medicine (EM) and out-of-hospital care in countries that are in an early p hase of this process, and to provide basic background information for plann ers not already familiar with EM. Methods: The techniques and programs used by the authors and others in assisting in EM development in other countrie s to date are described. Conclusions: Some aspects of EM system development have applicability to most countries, but other aspects must be decided by planners based on country-specific factors. Because of the very recent ini tiation of many EM system development efforts in other countries, to the au thors' knowledge there have not yet been extensive evaluative reports of th e efficacy of these efforts. Further studies are needed on the relative eff ectiveness and cost-benefit of different EM development efforts.