Technisyst To Ensure Rural NSW Ambulances Get The Message

BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND 14/2/2006

Brisbane-based mobile data specialist Technisyst will supply all the technology to Telstra for the NSW Ambulance Rural Data Radio Service, a $14m state-wide wireless communications system, due to go live in October.

Technisyst previously supplied its wireless gateway, job dispatch and automatic vehicle location technology to all 400 ambulances servicing metropolitan Sydney. This new deal will see all 690 vehicles across rural NSW kitted out with the system, which is designed to cut response times.

NSW Minister for Health, John Hatzistergos, said the roll-out of the system was part of the NSW Government's on-going commitment to improve ambulance services to rural NSW. "The new system uses the existing telephone network and combines it with satellite technology, allowing ambulance officers to send and receive transmissions from operation centres across the State," he explained.

"It will roam from one technology to the other, seeking the strongest signal, providing better service to regional areas.

"Another benefit of the use of this GPS technology is that ambulance officers will be able to pinpoint exact co-ordinates to rescue helicopters in rural and remote areas during emergency operations."

Another unique aspect of the system is the patient flow matrix facility which takes the stress off the NSW health system by directing ambulances to the nearest hospital with the capacity to treat patients using up to the minute information communicated wirelessly.

As soon as a patient is assessed by a paramedic, the on scene diagnosis is fed into their in-vehicle computer which is wirelessly connected to the computer system in the ambulance communications centre.

The system, which is constantly updated, quickly responds with a short list of hospitals that can deal with the patients particular illness or injury and uses the satellite location of the ambulance to determine which is nearest that has available capacity.

Once the paramedic confirms they are heading to a particular hospital, that slot is reserved.

Technisyst CEO Bill Delaney said that more and more health departments were looking to technology to streamline processes in overstretched hospital systems, and to make the most efficient use of both scarce hospital facilities and hard pressed ambulance resources.

The solution we have implemented means that better decisions are made. Normally an ambulance would just drive a patient to the nearest hospital, which could have a waiting time of many hours, Mr Delaney said. With the Patient Flow Matrix in place, the chosen hospital might not be the closest but the patient will still get treated far quicker.