Soon, app to check vitals of patients in ambulances

To save trauma patients while being transported to the hospital in an ambulance, AIIMS has initiated the process of developing a web application to control his or her vital parameters by providing expert opinion and advice. Prof. M.C. Mishra, the director of AIIMS Delhi, said that the web application will help in reducing trauma death during transportation of patients to the hospital. According to Prof. Mishra, a large number of trauma patients die due to excessive bleeding before reaching a hospital and this web application will help in preventing or lowering such deaths.

The development of this web application is part of the “Australia-India Trau-ma Systems Collaborati-on” for reducing the burden of injury in both the countries through development and the piloting of improved systems of care.

Explaining the main reason behind trauma deaths in the country, Prof. Mishra said that against a general perception of a patient dying due to injury, it was found that apart from this, in maximum cases, patients died due to excessive bleeding and poor handling on his or her way to the hospital.

“Through this web application, which we are developing, experts at the AIIMS Trauma Centre will advice the attendant in the ambulance to stop bleeding, or control other vital parameters like blood pressure, heart beat or to provide oxygen if needed,” Prof. Mishra added.

AIIMS’ Centre for Community Medicine-managed Comprehensive Rural Centre at Ballabgarh in Haryana, meanwhile, has been connected with the main hospital through broadband to provide for real time advice for trauma care.

Dr Amit Gupta, the additional professor in the division of trauma surgery and amputation at the AIIMS Trauma Centre, said that by using this technology, experts from AIIMS are not only advising the patient at Ballabgarh, but also monitoring their vitals. “Real-time connectivity for trauma care is in its trial stage and if successful, it will be linked to national knowledge network,” Dr Gupta added.

Trauma experts from 34 countries have gathered in the national capital to participate in the “3rd World Trauma Congress” to design strategies to prevent and control morbidity and mortality due to injury.