Supporting Ambulance Crews through Electronic Information Provision-P1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Supporting Ambulance Crews through Electronic Information Provision-Phase 1
IRAS ID
135720
Contact name
Eman Altuwaijri
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Durham Universitty
Research summary
When attending an incident, an ambulance crew currently has only limited advanced information about the nature of the incident, and about any circumstances related to its location and/or the person to whom the call relates. The ambulances in the NEAS (North East Ambulance Services) now have a Toughbook computer on board, used primarily to provide information to A&E. The Toughbook however also offers the opportunity to provide increased information, should it be available, from the Ambulance Control to the paramedics in the crew. If it were possible for Ambulance controllers to quickly investigate whether, and if so, what, relevant information on the patient is already held with a local health or social care provider, paramedic crews could be in a position to offer more individually tailored care. It is this opportunity that we would like to investigate, using one or more well-defined groups of patients. We see this as offering benefits to all of the stakeholders involved:
• The patient, who can expect to receive more informed treatment, with the possibility that they may also be treated locally rather than in A&E
• The ambulance crew, who may be able to make more informed decisions, and also be aware of any potential issues in advance of arrival
• The NEAS, with the possibility of making more effective use of resources (ambulance time)
• Local hospital trusts, particularly A&E departments, who may be able to provide a better pathway on reception or better manage numbers of attendances.
Ethical approval is only being sought for the development of IT capacity and processes. Another ethical approval will be sought to test patient experience once technical feasibility is established.REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/0095
Date of REC Opinion
22 Feb 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion