Supporting Callers' Needs in Crisis: Designing the Next Generation of 9-1-1 for Medical Emergencies

Since its introduction, the 9-1-1 emergency call system has served as a critical lifeline for individuals in urgent crises. However, the traditional audio-only model has limitations in supporting effective communication between callers and call takers. In this paper, we present a mixed-methods study—including a survey, interviews, and participatory design workshops—to examine the challenges and unmet needs of callers during medical emergencies, as well as their visions for the next generation of 9-1-1 communication. Our findings highlight key pain points, including difficulties in conveying precise location and contextual information, language and cultural barriers, a lack of transparency regarding dispatch, and challenges in providing medical history when calling on behalf of others. The study also revealed design opportunities, such as multimodal communication, AI-assisted triage and translation, mobile applications for frequent ambulance riders, and features that prioritize both informational clarity and emotional support. We conclude by discussing the design implications of these findings.