Purpose
The purpose of this request is to introduce Keyword Groups, i.e., logical groups of operational keywords, to improve event information organization and increase operational realism in Dispatch Centers, particularly for EMS contexts.
This proposal is based on direct experience in my daily work as a Technical Operator at an Emergency Medical Dispatch Center. In real dispatch centers, information is collected and structured according to clinical priority and decision-making impact. The proposal aims to bring this operational logic into SIM Dispatcher.
Benefits for the community
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clearer and more organized management of call information
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structured separation of preliminary clinical data into logical categories
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reduction of map information overload
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increased realism for advanced Dispatch Centers
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better decision support for dispatchers
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optional and scalable solution, suitable for smaller or simpler centers
Possible implementation
A configurable entity in the Dispatch Center administration panel: Keywords Group.
Each Keyword Group would include:
-
Group Name
Technical internal identifier. -
Group Label
User-visible label, localizable. -
Value List
Fully configurable keywords (add, modify, remove, sort) via the admin panel. -
Map visibility
Boolean option to define whether the group’s keywords should appear on the map or only be used for operational/administrative purposes.
Examples and operational scenarios
Group 1 – Incident Location
Label: Incident Location
Values:
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Home
-
Public place
-
Road
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Other
Map visibility: enabled
Usage:
Allows immediate identification of the incident context directly on the map, enhancing situational awareness and supporting quick operational decisions.
Group 2 – Risk Factors
Label: Risk Factors
Values (examples):
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Presence of weapons
-
Hostile environment
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NBCR risk
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Heavy traffic
-
Rough terrain
Map visibility: configurable
Usage:
Highlights relevant risk elements for the crew and inter-agency coordination without conflating them with event type.
Group 3 – Patient Visibility
Label: Patient Visibility
Values:
-
Patient visible
-
Patient not visible
Map visibility: disabled
Usage:
Critical information during initial call assessment to evaluate the reliability of clinical information provided by the caller.
Group 4 – Breathing Status
Label: Breathing
Values:
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Normal breathing
-
Labored breathing
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Not breathing
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Noisy / abnormal breathing
Map visibility: configurable (typically disabled)
Usage:
Supports preliminary severity assessment and potential early assignment of advanced units during call taking.
Visualizations
Keyword Groups could be managed in the dedicated admin panel section, similar to other existing configurations, allowing per-group management of values and map visibility.
Conclusion
Structuring operational keywords into configurable groups would align SIM Dispatcher more closely with real workflows, improve map readability, operational realism, and decision support.
The proposal is based on real operational needs from Emergency Medical Dispatch Centers and aims to maintain flexibility and simplicity while enhancing realism.
I remain available for clarifications, additional examples, or discussion during the forum review phase.
Regards,
Alex.