Application of Tele-Ultrasound in Emergency Medical Services

This study describes a system for tele-ultrasound used for pre-hospital diagnosis in a medical emergency setting as a part of the updated Mobile Hospital Emergency Medical System (MHEMS). An emergency medical technician could provide an emergency physician with ultrasound images and medical information from the field and during transport using a combination of the MHEMS, the portable ultrasound scanner, and the onboard 3G communication. Early receipt of patient information could inform decisions by emergency physicians prior to patient arrival. Furthermore, emergency medical technicians could also obtain instructions from on-duty physicians to initiate care before arrival at the hospital. In emergency medical services, portable ultrasound scanners have the potential to become new-age stethoscopes for emergency physicians. For trauma cases in particular, portable ultrasound scanners can scan the chest and abdomen of emergency patients both rapidly and conveniently. This study describes the development of tele-ultrasound for pre-diagnosis in a medical emergency setting as a part of the updated Mobile Hospital Emergency Medical System (MHEMS). An emergency medical technician can provide an emergency physician with a patient’s ultrasound images and medical information during the patient’s pre-hospitalization and transportation period using a combination of the MHEMS, the portable ultrasound scanner, and the onboard 3G communication capabilities. The MHEMS includes a Dispatch and Mission Control Center that facilitates the communication between the Emergency Department of a specified hospital, the systems aboard the ambulance. Early receipt of information relevant to the patient will enhance pre-diagnosis options for on-duty emergency physicians and allow for a hospital’s emergency department to promptly prepare necessary surgical instruments or beds. Furthermore, emergency medical technicians can also obtain instructions from on-duty physicians to enhance damage and disaster control ability in critical moments.