NAS Trains EMTs On Integrated Bed Management System To Tackle ‘No Bed Syndrome’
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) at the Ashanti Regional Dispatch Centre of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) have been trained on the Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System (IBMRCS).
The IBMRCS is a digital platform aimed at improving emergency referral coordination and addressing the challenge of “No Bed Syndrome.”
The one-day training was held on Monday, September 7, 2026, at the Regional Dispatch Centre in Adum, Kumasi.
The training, facilitated by Mr Jeffery Anyakpah, equipped EMTs with practical knowledge on the use of the platform, which is designed to strengthen communication and coordination between the NAS and healthcare facilities across the country.
Mr Anyakpah highlighted the critical role of the IBMRCS in providing real-time information on hospital capacity, bed availability, and specialised services offered by health facilities.
He explained that the information will enable dispatch personnel to make informed referral decisions and direct patients to facilities best suited to their medical needs.
Participants were reminded that while bed availability is important, it must be considered alongside the patient’s condition and the facility’s capacity to provide the required level of care.
They were also urged to ensure that information entered into the system remains accurate, timely, and regularly updated.
The interactive session allowed EMTs to discuss real-life operational challenges encountered during emergency dispatches, including managing critical cases when suitable beds are unavailable, handling referral coordination, addressing discrepancies between system data and actual hospital conditions, and maintaining continuity of communication during network or system disruptions.
Facilitators emphasised that the success of the IBMRCS will depend on strong collaboration and effective communication between dispatch centres and healthcare facilities to ensure that emergency patients receive timely and appropriate care.
By the end of the training, participants had gained deeper appreciation of how the system can streamline referral processes, reduce delays in patient handover, minimize ambulance waiting times at health facilities, and improve ambulance availability for other emergencies.
Click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/
