Location
Philadelphia
Start Date
11-5-2016 1:00 PM
Description
Introduction One of the significant impacts on patient outcome in emergency medical situations is the response time taken for trained personnel and equipment arrival on scene. The National EMS Information System states the average response time to reach adult patients in the United States is 9.4 minutes (1). We are exploring the whether the application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology in emergency situations would shorten response time and subsequently could improve patients’ outcome In this reported on first phase (Phase 1) of an envisioned multi-stage project, we tested the ability of a UAV to properly, efficiently transport a a portable ECG device to a mock emergency site and successfully take an ECG reading when used by an untrained personnel on hand. MethodsOur UAV was a DJI Phantom 2 Vision model, a quadcopter equipped with a 14 Megapixel camera and HD video recording capabilities. The onboard camera allows for real time transmission of patient status and appearance, while the quadcopter model allows for maximum weight to lift ratio. In order to record a portable ECG, we equipped an iPhone 5 with an AliveCor Kardia mobile ECG monitor. We included an easy to use protocol for the AliveCor so that a layperson would be able to operate the machine. DataThe total flight time for 100 yards across an open field was two and a half minutes , or approximately 2 feet/second. This data shows a chi-squared distribution of 5.065, with a p-value of .01 (df=1, p<.05). DiscussionDue to the statistically significant p-value, Phase 1 data demonstrates that our UAV was capable of traversing an appropriate distance in an amount of time that drastically improves upon the emergency response call time taken by traditional methods. In addition to our flight data, we were also able to properly operate the ECG and apply it to a mock patient in under 90 seconds, showing that our protocol, with instructions for usage, was clear and precise. Conclusion: This study is considered Phase 1 of a multi-stage investigation. Moving forward, we hope to improve the efficacy of our UAV, while expanding its the technological and medical capabilities, allowing it to not only carry ECG but also possibly AEDs and pharmaceuticals. Ultimately, We hope to apply such technology to emergencies in both rural and urban environments, as well as adapt it for use within the military.
Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Emergency Medical Situations
Philadelphia
Introduction One of the significant impacts on patient outcome in emergency medical situations is the response time taken for trained personnel and equipment arrival on scene. The National EMS Information System states the average response time to reach adult patients in the United States is 9.4 minutes (1). We are exploring the whether the application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology in emergency situations would shorten response time and subsequently could improve patients’ outcome In this reported on first phase (Phase 1) of an envisioned multi-stage project, we tested the ability of a UAV to properly, efficiently transport a a portable ECG device to a mock emergency site and successfully take an ECG reading when used by an untrained personnel on hand. MethodsOur UAV was a DJI Phantom 2 Vision model, a quadcopter equipped with a 14 Megapixel camera and HD video recording capabilities. The onboard camera allows for real time transmission of patient status and appearance, while the quadcopter model allows for maximum weight to lift ratio. In order to record a portable ECG, we equipped an iPhone 5 with an AliveCor Kardia mobile ECG monitor. We included an easy to use protocol for the AliveCor so that a layperson would be able to operate the machine. DataThe total flight time for 100 yards across an open field was two and a half minutes , or approximately 2 feet/second. This data shows a chi-squared distribution of 5.065, with a p-value of .01 (df=1, p<.05). DiscussionDue to the statistically significant p-value, Phase 1 data demonstrates that our UAV was capable of traversing an appropriate distance in an amount of time that drastically improves upon the emergency response call time taken by traditional methods. In addition to our flight data, we were also able to properly operate the ECG and apply it to a mock patient in under 90 seconds, showing that our protocol, with instructions for usage, was clear and precise. Conclusion: This study is considered Phase 1 of a multi-stage investigation. Moving forward, we hope to improve the efficacy of our UAV, while expanding its the technological and medical capabilities, allowing it to not only carry ECG but also possibly AEDs and pharmaceuticals. Ultimately, We hope to apply such technology to emergencies in both rural and urban environments, as well as adapt it for use within the military.