Acute life-threatening conditions such as hypovolemic shock as depicted in the video, can often have rapid and precipitous courses. Sequelae such as decreased sensorium, multiple organ dysfunction, and death can often follow within minutes to hours of these disease entities. Therefore, time is of the essence in instituting management for these patients especially if they are far from the nearest hospital and without the necessary resources for definitive management.
Pre-hospital care, then, plays a role in stabilizing these patients before they reach the hospital. This form of early care can delay the usually rapid natural history of these conditions, hopefully, long enough for the patient to be transported to a competent healthcare facility. Pre-hospital care buys time. It increases the frame of opportunity for medical practitioners to intervene, thereby increasing a patient's chances of survival.
In terms of accessibility, pre-hospital care provides an avenue for those without medical training to provide some forms of emergent care to declining patients. Since some maneuvers in pre-hospital care are often more practical and easier to comprehend than more complex measures such as medications or drips, it can be taught to lay persons with relative ease. This is especially helpful for Filipinos in far-flung communities with limited resources such as those seen in the documentary. By equipping more people with these skills, we can increase the chances that patients with life-threatening conditions receive pre-hospital care, thereby improving their chances of reaching a healthcare institution. It can also provide the entire community with a sense of social responsibility for one another's health, which may lead to better health-seeking behavior as a whole.