Connected by cell phone

The emergency doctor will soon also be on duty virtually

The emergency doctor can be connected remotely, who also looks at the patient via camera and receives vital signs.

(Bild: Huber Patrick)

A shortage of doctors, more flexibility, support for paramedics in the field: the digital revolution is also making its way into the emergency services, and the doctor will soon be connected via cell phone. This system has already been in use in Lower Austria for four years.

The emergency ambulance stays in the garage and the doctor is connected via smartphone: The tele-emergency doctor is soon to be deployed virtually in Upper Austria too. "There are also plans at the Red Cross in Upper Austria," confirmed its spokesperson Christian Hartl in response to an inquiry from Krone. The tele-emergency doctor was put into service in Styria and has already been in use in Lower Austria for four years.

Reducing unnecessary journeys
"There are several reasons for this innovation, and the technical possibilities are already available," says the rescue service, which wants to use the virtual doctor to solve several problems at once - such as the shortage of doctors and the reduction of unnecessary journeys. A study by the University of Graz states that 80 percent of current emergency doctor call-outs could be handled by more highly qualified paramedics.

More emergency paramedics trained
Following serious internal accusations, the Red Cross in Upper Austria reacted last year by training more emergency paramedics and putting them into service. These paramedics are also allowed to administer certain medications; they must have this approved remotely by doctors or report to the head physician.

We are in close contact with our colleagues in Lower Austria. The tele-emergency doctor has already been tested here as a pilot project.

Christian Hartl, Sprecher des Roten Kreuzes in OÖ

The tele-emergency doctor is intended to expand this system and provide paramedics with rapid assistance by cell phone, regardless of location, if a "harmless operation" on site turns out to be more dramatic or the patient's state of health deteriorates rapidly.

160 missions already completed
In Lower Austria, the system has been undergoing trials for four years and is also in everyday use. After the first three years, 35 bases were already involved and 160 missions had been completed.

It has not yet been decided when the emergency doctor in Upper Austria will be connected via smartphone for the first time, assess the patient remotely, check ECG and other values and prescribe the administration of medication. In addition to the training of those involved, it is also a question of financing the system.