NAS to roll out pre- notification referral system for emergency

The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is set to roll out a hospital pre-notification and national referral system to ensure emergency patients are taken to the most appropriate health facilities for timely and specialised care.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NAS, Dr George Kojo Owusu, said the move was part of broader reforms aimed at repositioning the Service from primarily transporting patients to delivering advanced pre-hospital emergency care that saves lives.

Owusu made this known at the opening of the NAS 2025 Annual and 2026 Mid-Year Performance Review in Accra yesterday, on the theme: ‘Beyond Transport: Strengthening Pre-hospital Emergency Care, Stabilisation and Timely Patient Transfer.’

He explained that under the new system, ambulance crew would be able to notify receiving hospitals before arriving with patients to enable emergency teams prepare adequately.

“We want to be able to call ahead so that blood, the operating theatre and other critical resources are ready before our wheels stop.

The nearest facility may not always be the right facility, and every minute we save in decision-making is an organ saved, a brain saved or a life saved,” he said.

Dr Owusu said the Service, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), was mapping a national referral network to guide emergency medical technicians (EMTs) on the most appropriate facilities for different cases.

“Every EMT should know which hospital is equipped to handle severe burns, paediatric emergencies and where a functional intensive care unit (ICU) bed is available at any given time,” he stated.

The CEO said the Service’s new direction was anchored on three key pillars: strengthening pre-hospital emergency care, stabilising patients before hospital arrival and ensuring timely transfer to appropriate health facilities.

He appealed to the government and development partners to invest in ambulance fleets, medical equipment, technology and continuous training for personnel.

“An ambulance without drugs is a van. An EMT without continuous training is just a driver. Pre-hospital care saves lives, but it must be treated like the critical care service it is,” he stressed.

Dr Owusu also urged the public to call the emergency number, 112, immediately in times of distress instead of delaying or transporting critically ill patients in private vehicles.

“Call 112 early. Don’t wait until it is too late. Clear the road when you hear a siren because it could be your relative inside.

We must also stop the myth that rushing to the hospital yourself is better than waiting for an ambulance because we bring the hospital to you,” he said.

The Director of Institutional Care at the GHS, Dr Lawrence Ofori Boadu, called for stronger collaboration between emergency service providers and clinicians to improve patient outcomes.

He also urged the government to adequately resource the NAS and intensify public education on the appropriate use of emergency medical services.

“Let us move beyond measuring success by the number of ambulances deployed or kilometres travelled.

Lives saved, reduced referral times, quality stabilisation and patient satisfaction require stronger collaboration across all agencies within our health system and beyond,” Dr Boadu said.