Immediate Emergency Response: How Handheld Ultrasound Enhances Hospital Dispatch Accuracy
In Taiwan, National Taiwan University has pioneered the establishment of a “wall-less telemedicine model” in collaboration with the fire department and health bureau.
Integrating Handheld Ultrasound with Remote Medicine:
By equipping ambulances with the Apache handheld wireless ultrasound device, paramedics can perform real-time scans on patients who are conscious but may have internal bleeding. This device connects to a central system, allowing the Apache handheld ultrasound to transmit the results to remote physicians, enabling quick decisions on whether the patient should be transported to a hospital for emergency care. This approach minimizes unnecessary delays and enhances survival rates for severe trauma cases.
The Benefits of Wireless Ultrasound in Emergency Care:
Before the introduction of the Apache wireless handheld ultrasound in ambulances, emergency teams faced significant limitations in identifying and managing internal bleeding. Traditionally, only visible external bleeding could be easily detected and treated, while internal bleeding was challenging to diagnose. With this advanced wireless ultrasound technology, emergency responders can accurately assess patients, select the appropriate hospital based on the severity and urgency of the condition, and significantly improve emergency response efficiency.
Emergency Case Study:
In May of this year, a man named Huang, while riding a motorcycle through Changhua, accidentally fell into a ditch. Based on the geographic location, he should have been sent to Taiwan University’s Huwei Branch. However, the ambulance technician used the Apache wireless ultrasound and discovered that despite external bruising, there was significant internal bleeding. After remote physician consultation, the decision was made to transport the patient to the more distant Douliu Hospital Emergency Department. Upon arrival, the patient was found to have pneumothorax, hemothorax, liver laceration, and kidney laceration. The trauma team was activated within the golden hour to provide emergency care, allowing the patient to recover safely and be discharged.
Globally, many rural areas lack medical facilities comparable to urban centers and urgently need telemedicine systems. As handheld ultrasound technology continues to mature, it effectively enhances emergency care capabilities and increases survival rates for severe trauma and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients.
