Automatic Crash Notification’s Role in Triage

The optimal way to reduce the consequences of injuries is to prevent them. When injuries do occur, however, EMS providers must transport patients to the most appropriate health-care facility for the management of their injuries. Determining the destination facility can have a profound effect on the patient’s morbidity and mortality.

Determining the best destination hospital for an injured patient in an appropriate time frame (“right patient, right place and right time”) is the primary goal of successful field triage. This is also an area in which vehicle telematics and Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN) can play a significant role.

Automatic Notification
Vehicle telematics is the integration of wireless communication into a vehicle’s electrical architecture, which allows a vehicle and its occupants to interact and communicate with other vehicles, the road, public safety answering points (PSAPs) or telematics service provider call centers. A component of vehicular telematics, AACN, is the successor to Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) and is found in an increasing number of motor vehicles.

When a vehicle’s AACN system detects a crash (as determined by vehicle sensors, airbag deployment or seatbelt pretensioners), either an urgent message is directly relayed to the local PSAP or the vehicle’s Global Positioning System (GPS) location and crash-related data—change in velocity (delta-V), principal direction of force, airbag deployment, multiple collisions and rollover determination—are automatically sent by emergency wireless call to a telematics service provider.

These methods allow injured occupants to communicate in real-time with PSAPs or the telematic service provider emergency call centers without having to initiate the call.

With a wide range of vehicle manufacturers and telematics service providers transmitting AACN information, collaboration is essential to ensure standardization. Continued cooperation is critical to ensure consistent information is being transmitted to emergency care systems and personnel. Further study, including pilot projects and research, is necessary as AACN continues its integration in our nation’s vehicles.

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References:

Bob Bailey, MA, Scott Sasser, MD, FACEP "Automatic Crash Notification’s Role in Triage - How Advanced Automatic Collision Notification can assist in the early response, triage & care of injured patients" Originally Posted: 01/01/2011 Full Article Available Online: http://www.jems.com/article/trauma-patients/automatic-crash-notification-s 

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Related Links:

• A copy of the Field Triage Decision Scheme accompanies this month’s JEMS. Also, it and the Advanced Automatic Collision Notification protocol are at www.jems.com/crashsensors

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