Frequent callers to the Norwegian emergency medical communication centres

The purpose of this PhD project is to increase knowledge about so-called "frequent callers" to the emergency medical communication center (EMCC).

The project consist of a quantitative study collecting baseline data, and qualitative studies based on individual interviews with frequent callers and focus group interviews with EMCC operators.

Frequent callers are defined by National Health Service's (NHS) as a patient who calls five or more times per month or twelve or more times in three months.

The project is a doctoral research project, investigating

• base-line data describing frequent callers
• individual interviews on how the frequent callers perceive the help they receive
• focus group interviews on how medical operators at the EMCC experience being able to assist frequent callers