Barriers to the use of emergency medical services for ST‐elevation myocardial infarction: Determining why many patients opt for self‐transport

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: Access to timely ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care is facilitated by paramedics and emergency medical services (EMS). However, a large proportion of STEMI patients do not access care through EMS. This study sought to identify patient-reported factors for their decision to use (or not use) EMS. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of STEMI patients admitted to a large …