The life-saver on the road

Every moment that a patient waits is a moment wasted. In times when accidents have become the call of the day and diseases come in thick and thin, the ground ambulance is the one thing responsible for preventing the situation from becoming catastrophic. Being the first medical ‘thing’ to arrive on the scene, it’s important that they are well equipped. But reaching the scene is equally important as being available. With so few ambulance providers and creaky service infrastructure, many a times the patients’ call get lost in the transit. There have been many instances when either the ground ambulance was not available or even if it was there seemed to be no way to reach them.

A well-furnished and a well-timed ambulance can save many a lives. Equipped to handle basic, advanced and critical situations, a ground ambulance is must for providing the Emergency services. The team of paramedics, nurses and doctors could mean the difference of life and death in certain cases. In developing countries where air ambulance services are not that developed, ground ambulance remains the only solution. Even if a patient needs to be hauled through air ambulance, the importance of road ambulance is paramount in providing bedside-to-bedside facility.

Though many attempts have been made to make them accessible, patients’ and providers still get a hard time getting to the situation on time. AMB life is taking a giant step forward to overcome this dual challenge of inaccessibility and unavailability. It is an online portal which allows private ambulance service providers all over the globe to register with them. The patients’ on their part can search for any ambulance service based on country, state or even city. The portal even provides them with an option to rate and review the services granted. This a step in the right direction and is of benefit to both parties. While ambulance service providers get an access to large customer base, the patients’ get the option to select that at the touch of their fingers.

Note: This article was written for AMB life.

Things about Ground Ambulance that you must know

The first mode of connectivity of any patient in live saving condition is a ground ambulance. Even if the commute of the patient involves air ambulance, ground ambulances are always required for last mile connectivity called in their parlance as bedside-to-bedside. Their use is so common in different countries especially the ones with underdeveloped or non-existent air ambulance services that everyone assumes all know everything about it. But that’s not the reality. Absence to understanding of basic terminologies can lead to mishaps. Through this article we aim to take you to the tour on ground ambulance. Jump in!

The past and present of ground ambulance

The first instance of its use dates back to late 15^th century Spain which used it for emergency purposes. Its full-fledged civilian use came much later. As with many modern inventions, the concept of ground ambulance for mass purpose owes much to the military conflicts of 19^th and 20^th century Europe. From the primitive and manually drawn bullock carts to modern day self-driving ambulances, we’ve certainly came a long way. Ground ambulances are a common sight in almost all countries now.

Dissection of a ground ambulance

A common ground ambulance is equipped with some equipment and support staff.  It is always helpful if we know a little about all of them.

Support staff – comprising of medical and non-medical staffs, they are few staffs that we should be able to single out.

• ·        ECA/ECSW – Emergency care assistant generally assist paramedics but can also carry out complex procedures in case of emergencies.
• ·         Nurse – Trained to assist doctors or paramedics, they can also administer certain drugs.
• ·         Paramedic – Highly trained, they are well versed to carry out some complex procedures like administering different drugs, placing a flexible plastic tube in trachea or intubation, thyrocricotomy, etc.
• ·         First responder – As the name itself suggests, these include people who are the first to reach the scene where need for ground ambulance arises. They could be either some specialized doctor or a commoner.

Equipment – these include some basic instruments to sophisticated ones. Since sophisticated ones are too “medical” and not much of use for us common folks, we’ll focus instead on some basic ones. Here we go –

• ·        Two – way radio: Most important of them all, its use starts right after a patient has booked ground ambulance. It is used to maintain two-way communication between the driver and medical staffs in the ambulance to personnel at the medical center.
• ·         Ramp: They are like ladders used to board or de-board heavy medical equipment or patient
• ·         Stretcher: Pretty easy these one. Shaped like a bed, they are used to lift the patient from the ground to ramp or ambulance.

Types of ground ambulances

Though they all serve the same purpose but depending on the medical condition of the patient different types of ground ambulances are called into service –

• ·         Basic life support ambulance (BLS): As the name suggests, these are for patients whose condition is not life-threatening. Equipped with basic facilities and few medical staffs like nurse and a medic, it basically focusses on monitoring the condition of patients while they are on their way to medical center.
• ·         Advanced life support ambulance (ALS): Used for life-threatening or trauma patients, these are equipped with advanced facilities and nurse along with a paramedic or a doctor. They are well trained and facilitated to provide advance medical emergency services, IV administration etc.
• ·         Critical Care ambulance: Similar to ALS, they are also provided with a specialized doctor to monitor or operate on the patient. Such ambulances function as mini extension of medical centers.
• ·         Neonatal Intensive Care Unit/s: Many babies post-partum require intensive medical assistance. It’s crucial that it is provided as soon as possible. NICUs are ground ambulance units meant exactly for them. It is equipped with necessary provisions to manage critically ill neonates.

Note: This article was written for AMB life

Air ambulance: The future of patient commute

Image courtesy: Ziqita

Finding and booking an ambulance – whether an air ambulance or a ground ambulance can be a daunting task. At the time, when every breath of your loved ones is precious and each moment you spend with them is crucial, wasting even a second seems like the worst thing in the world. Particularly in India where booking even a ground ambulance is a seemingly difficult task, one even gives up when it comes to finding an air ambulance. Fortunately, this all might change with AMB life which envisions an online platform where ambulance providers all across the globe can not only register but can also get in touch directly with the patients. It allows for a user to search air ambulances and road or ground ambulances in country, state and even to the cities of their choosing. Backed by a robust technology that provides for a user-friendly interface, it aims to change the logistical fabric of ambulances in cities around the globe.

The history of Air ambulance

The pioneers in the field of air ambulances are the European countries like France, Britain and Spain. But these were mostly used for causalities of war. During and after Second World War, its use increased exponentially aided by US push. But in many parts of the globe, it was usually reserved as a war-time savior. In India, it was India Aero medical services that kick started the concept of air ambulance in 1995.

Air ambulance: an untapped service

Air ambulance usage is generally rare and is undertaken only in extreme circumstances. It could be particularly helpful in remote areas if not for the high cost incurred. Unlike ground or road ambulance services which are relatively easy to understand and undertake, air ambulance is another nut all together. This is mainly due to ignorance about the various terminologies used in air ambulance and absence of platform to choose the most cost – effective one. The inconsistencies and in many cases absence of laws or guidelines regarding air ambulance has also contributed to its rare usage. The absence of medically suited aircrafts are also an issue.

At AMB life, one can easily understand the meanings of commonly used terminologies like MEDVAC, CASEVAC, RVSM, EMS, EMT, Bedside-to-Bedside etc.

Cost component in Air Ambulance

The cost component is the single most important factor in case of air ambulance. While ground and road ambulance are generally cheaper, the same isn’t true for air ambulance. Depending on the requirements of the patient, type of aircraft, availability and need of medical staff/s, presence of insurance cover, facilities offered etc., cost could vary immensely.

It is here that AMB life shows its true utility. By providing different service providers to register on its platform, it presents the patient with a one-stop portal where they can’t just search about the air ambulance availability near their locality but can also look at the ratings, reviews and insurance covers. These not just helps them make an informed decision but also makes it a lot easier.

Air ambulance is an exciting prospect of patient commute particularly for remote and far flung areas. The need is to make them more affordable my providing appropriate insurance basket and making it easier to reach out. While AMB life can easily take care of the later, the onus of providing the former rests with the service providers and insurance companies.

Visit www.amblife.com for more.

Note: This article has been written for GnextTechnologies and Amb life.