The Instant on Scene system allows remote views of casualty sites

The Instant on Scene system allows remote views of casualty sites

A mobile phone app that allows medics to view a casualty scene remotely has gone into service with an air ambulance service.

The GoodSAM system’s Instant on Scene streaming service gives emergency services the ability to see patients by sending a simple text message to the caller’s phone.

This means the emergency services can assess how ill a patient is before arriving on scene, via mobile video streaming, enabling a better understanding of the level of care or resources that may be required.

Chris Smith, a Great North Air Ambulance Service aircrew doctor, has played an instrumental role in the introduction of GoodSAM’s Instant on Scene function to the region as part of a drive to improve the way the air ambulance is used on incidents.

He said the charity, which frequently carries out rescues of outdoor enthusiasts in the Lake District and North of England, was already seeing good results from using the service, with members of the public happy to help.

He said: “We frequently ring people back on scene to get more information about an incident. But that can be problematic in that we are asking members of the public to identify often complex medical issues.

“This development gives us eyes on the ground so we can see for ourselves if our team is needed on scene or not. In terms of information gathering, it’s a significant step forward and we are pleased with the results so far.”

Dr Smith said that on one occasion, the GNAAS crew had used GoodSAM to activate the aircraft to a car crash that turned out to be more serious than first thought.

On another occasion, a member of the public’s phone allowed them to see that they were not needed. This allowed the aircraft to be made available for another incident.

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