9-1-1, What Is Your Emergency? Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Language Access and Health Policy

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ID: 329768
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Introduction Emergency medical dispatch (EMD) is a critical yet understudied entry point into the United States (U.S.) healthcare system. Given the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, we examine 9-1-1 telecommunicators’ perspectives on AI integration in EMD. Methods We conducted a qualitative analysis of open-ended responses from a cross-sectional electronic survey of 9-1-1 telecommunicators who primarily manage emergency medical calls at three 9-1-1 call centers in California between February and April 2026. Results Eight themes emerged from the study: 1) 9-1-1 telecommunicators generally viewed human-centered AI as a tool to supplement, rather than replace human expertise; 2) the importance of maintaining human connection and empathy; 3) concerns related to liability, accountability, and data security; 4) the need to differentiate between emergency and non-emergency calls; 5) 9-1-1 caller location identification; 6) 9-1-1 caller language identification; 7) delays in connecting with interpreters; and 8) AI performance under “less-than-ideal” conditions. Policy Implications These findings highlight the importance of human-centered, equity-focused approaches to AI integration in EMD, including proactive policy development and implementation.
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Authors Esmeralda Melgoza, Diego Xavier Torres, Elaine Hsiang, Rohan E Shah, Eli Carrillo, Kenneth Miller, Jennifer A. Newberry, Arturo Vargas Bustamante
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Journal Health Affairs Scholar
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/haschl/qxag262
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxag262
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