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Advances in Pre-hospital Technology
Critical
treatment for patients during emergency scenarios may not often occur in the
hospital. Most of the time, the actions that are of a matter of life and
death are occurring in the pre-hospital scene.
The need for quick and
extensive communication
Varied
approaches are undertaken by paramedics and rescue teams in dealing with emergency
cases.
Whatever the approach may be, the main goal of EMS is to be able
to respond as quickly as possible to an emergency and to transport the victim
to the nearest hospital or medical facility if deemed necessary especially in
life and death scenarios.
Interoperable
technologies such as computer-aided diagnosis systems are very essential to EMS
providers. For cardiac patients, some cardiac problem detection devices
are available in the first responder’s market. Fidelity 100 is an
electrocardiograph monitoring system innovated by Signalife, Inc. The
Fidelity 100 gives off a record of ECG signals of cardiac patients. It
was initially used to measure U.S. Air Force pilots’ performance through brain
wave signals but has now been used in the clinic and in ambulatory situations
and is fast becoming a prospect for national EMS. Other interoperable
technology used by rescue teams is the Incident Commander Radio Interface or
the ICRI which syncs rescue teams with the ER or clinical physicians.
Even
though EMS providers undergo training and are very capable of arriving at the
scene on time, they are not always exempted from problems of traffic and
vehicle collisions along the way. This sometimes happens along the way to
the hospital and can result to a patient being dead on arrival.
Fortunately, a company from Fridley, Minnesota, FAC of America has come up with
an innovation to lessen the risk of vehicle collisions in emergency
cases. A Mobile Infrared Transmitter can alter traffic signals as quickly
as 2-3 seconds from as far as 1,500 feet. These Mobile Infrared
Transmitters can be easily used requiring only emitters to be installed in an
ambulance’s windshield and receivers on the traffic lights.
The need for early
detection and treatment
Upon
arrival, paramedics usually are tasked to check for signs of life and
injuries. A laryngoscope is an essential device to check for
airway. Defibrillators (used for cardiac arrest victims) are a must in
emergency rescues and are actually being mass-produced in San Diego.
Pulse detectors such as Pulse CO-Oximetry by Masimo is used to determine
hemoglobin levels without needle insertion and is essential for a speedy
diagnosis of the victim’s condition as well as provide immediate treatment. In
Wyoming, pre-hospital cardiac technology evaluation systems are used for
cardiac testing on the way to the ER.
Article Source: EMS - EveryMinuteSucks.com
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