Live videos from trauma scenes halve air ambulance use

The technology – adopted by London Ambulance Service last month – enables paramedics in London control rooms to connect to a callers’ smartphone and assess seriously injured patients via a video link. 

This allows them to assess the severity of the patient’s injuries and decide whether an air ambulance – used to transport specialist trauma teams – is needed.

The technology has been used 67 times since it was introduced to the LAS in October – helping control room paramedics to decide against dispatching an air ambulance in 38 of these cases.This freed trauma teams to treat patients that were more urgently needed elsewhere, according to LAS.

The video link – which operates through a platform called GoodSAM - also allows medics to instantly locate a caller and can check a patient’s pulse from the scene.

When a caller agrees to allow a paramedic to connect to their phone from a control room they are sent a link via a text message which they will need to click and accept.

LAS is planning to expand the use of the technology across 999 and 111 calls, rather than just trauma incidents. 

LAS director of strategy, technology and development, Ross Fullerton, told HSJ: “This is real-world, life-saving technology and other ambulance trusts are closely watching how this project develops.

“In around half the cases where the platform has been used, a decision was made not to send the London Air Ambulance.

“This means it was available to help people who were even more seriously ill instead.

“If the project is successful we will look to use it in other areas of the London Ambulance Service including callers to both 999 and 111, not just for trauma incidents.”

In eight cases the video link meant the trauma team was sent out before the first medics arrived on the scene and in 10 cases medical advice was given to the caller “helping to improve the chances of survival for the patient”.

Jason Morris, flight paramedic with London’s Air Ambulance Charity – which provides rapid response medical care in the city – said: “In 10 years of working in the control room this is one of the biggest innovations that I have seen, helping to enhance the skills that we already have.”

The platform can be accessed from any smartphone and does not require a downloaded app in order to access the video stream, according to LAS.