Wednesday, February 6, 2008
** Kitchener, Ontario medics assist in speeding door-to-door ballon times for angioplasty
** UK ambulance service starts anti-assault poster campaign
CANADA NEWS
** Waterloo Region EMS medics in Kitchener, Ontario are pioneering a new technology, using cellphones to transmit ECG info from call scenes to hospital BlackBerry handhelds. The Waterloo Region Record (Anne Kelly/February 5) said the effort employed by St. Mary’s Regional Cardiac Care Centre could be a first for Canada. Centre interventional cardiologist Dr. Suzanne Renner said the Blackberry was chosen because it is fast, secure, and enjoys good screen resolution. Intended to speed the time to angioplasty, current stats indicate minutes elapsed between ECG and surgery are about 58 minutes, some 32 minutes less than the international standard for door-to-door balloon time. Area EMS head John Prno said he is pleased with the approach, calling it both cost effective and efficient.
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** In an effort to stem attacks on ambulance personnel, the West Midlands Ambulance Service has begun an anti-assault poster campaign. The Shuttle (February 5) said the initiative, dubbed “Your Choice of Treatment” depicts a picture on the ambulance of both a paramedic and a police officer. Regional security specialist Steve Elliker said the campaign was a reminder to the public that the service intends to pursue prosecution for all assailants. Since April of 2007, 110 physical attacks have been recorded;of these, only 32 convictions have been secured.
