Saving lives with camera phones
http://www.guardian.co.uk/mobile/article/0,2763,1017086,00.html
999 crews use picture messaging to save lives
Press Association
Tuesday August 12, 2003
Fire chiefs predicted today that the latest mobile phone technology would
help save the lives of more road accident casualties.
Fife Fire and Rescue Service has teamed up with a major telecoms firm to
allow crews to send picture messages to local accident and emergency (A&E)
teams direct from the scene.
The initiative, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, becomes
fully operational this week.
By using photographs, resident consultants at Dunfermline's Queen Margaret
hospital (QMH) are now able to make an early assessment of the extent of
injuries, and mobilise the appropriate medical teams, while avoiding
unnecessary call-outs.
The fire service hopes the scheme will soon be taken up by A&E teams at
Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital and Ninewells in Dundee.
Firemaster Mike Bitcon said photo messaging would help firefighters do their
jobs better.
"I know this will make a difference. We had 27 fatalities and 328 casualties
in the Fife region last year and we are hoping to see this number decrease,"
he said.
"A picture can tell a thousand words and with this technology we are able to
communicate so much more effectively."
Lorna McLeod, a consultant in the A&E unit at QMH, said the technology was
saving time and improving productivity in the casualty department.
She said: "Correct treatment within the early stages means that the outcome
is significantly improved.
"We sometimes receive Polaroid photographs when the patient is admitted but
actually seeing these images beforehand allows us to assess how serious an
accident is and how high an impact it probably has had on a victim.
"Traditionally, it is difficult to assess through the spoken word if a
doctor is required on site, particularly if the accident involves a victim
trapped within a vehicle.
"By using photo messaging, we can see exactly what the situation involves
and can verify if doctors are more useful at the scene or at the hospital."
Cynthia Gordon, marketing director at Orange Business Solutions, said:
"Photo messaging has traditionally been applied in the consumer space.
"However, together with Fife, we are showing that mobile data applications
have a valuable role to play in both the commercial and public sectors."
Received on Wed Aug 13 10:15:05 2003