The pandemic has forced everyone to change the way we do things. This includes how we communicate with each other. When once we met in person to hold meetings and share information, this is now done remotely using social media systems such as Zoom and Teams etc. These systems are secure, simple to use, reliable and efficient. The systems enable ‘multi tasking’ including live streaming whilst sharing additional data and information simultaneously. Why can’t these commonly accessible and simple systems be used by ambulance teams to provide clear information about their patient details and injuries instead of having to wait hours in queues having to physically pass on this information the hospital staff before they can attend another incident? Using these systems seems a much more efficient and effective use of limited resources. Potentially improving patient safety, reducing ridiculous waiting times, enable targets to be met, lives to be saved and enable emergency responders to respond to emergencies.
I am sure there will be concerns identified due to improving ‘hand-over’ waiting times eg this will increase the number of patients now in A&E as ambulances become more efficient. Who attends to these patients? Where will they ‘be held’? These are the potential symptoms of an improved ambulance service which will require the need to improve and adapt with it?
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