Using Travel Times for Optimization Numbers of Medical Rescue Service Points—Case Study from Slovakia

Health care and protection is one of the fundamental human rights, which apply to all people of the world. Life and health threats can occur at any place and time, both at times of peace and security and at times of emergencies of any kind. In many cases, provision of urgent medical care creates a time strain. Emergency medical care in the Slovak Republic is provided by a medical rescue service, including mobile emergency care and ambulances, with or without a doctor. The present article deals with the purpose and role of medical rescue service with an emphasis on mobile emergency care provision by ambulances. The following part defines selected factors affecting medical rescue service station locations and numbers of ambulances. Emphasis is laid on an analysis of theoretical assumptions for optimization of the number of medical rescue service stations and ambulances used by them for the purpose of securing care of life and health of the population and addressing emergencies within selected territorial units in the Self-Governing Region of Žilina. The proposed optimization of the number of medical rescue service stations in municipalities is addressed theoretically as a location issue. The resulting theoretical variant of the proposed new distribution of medical rescue service ambulance stations is a mathematical consideration of assurance of emergency medical care provision within 15 min from each event reporting. The mathematical algorithm used for the proposal of medical rescue service ambulance station distribution is applicable in different regions and countries with a defined time to provision of first aid and emergency medical care.