Patients, paramedics, and specialist clinicians will benefit from a statewide technology project rollout that will transform cardiac care in NSW.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced today a $55 million investment that will give frontline healthcare staff access to tools and the most up-to-date technology available to help them carry out their vital role of saving lives.
Welcomed by the NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, the project includes equipping ambulances with 1,400 state-of-the-art electrocardiograms (ECG)/defibrillation devices and a new cardiac notification platform for NSW Ambulance and public hospitals.
NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said the project was a fantastic example of collaboration across health systems and an ongoing commitment to delivering continuity of care for patients.
“Make no mistake, lives which may not have been saved previously will now be saved because of these devices”, Dr Morgan said.
The upgraded ECG/defibrillation devices weigh considerably less than previous defibrillators, making them safer and easier for paramedics to use. These defibrillators perform non-invasive blood pressure monitoring, capnography, pulse oximetry, temperature recording and pacing.
The new cardiac notification platform will also help streamline the transfer of patients from ambulance into hospital by improving communication between emergency departments and clinicians.
"The cardiac notification platform assists with the transfer of clinical observation data from ambulances and regional hospitals to tertiary hospitals so we can provide more rapid and effective treatment to patients with suspected heart attacks”, Dr Morgan said.
This is a joint initiative between NSW Ambulance, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation and eHealth NSW. It will be delivered by corpuls devices and a notification platform supplied by Device Technologies Australia.
eHealth NSW Chief Executive Dr Zoran Bolevich said the new technology provides a platform for the management of a range of conditions and the provision of virtual care in the years to come.
“The technology and capability on offer with the new device and notification platform opens up many future opportunities for NSW Ambulance and the wider health system,” Dr Bolevich said.
The rollout of the device and connectivity technology is expected to commence in late 2022.
FAQs
-
The Corpuls 3T 12-lead ECG/defibrillators can also perform non-invasive blood pressure monitoring, capnography, pulse oximetry and temperature recording. Pacing is also available for those credentialled in this intervention. The device weighs considerably less than the previous defibrillators, making it safer and easier for paramedics to transport them while responding to an emergency.
-
The technology helps streamline transfer of care by improving communication between emergency departments, cardiology, and remote clinicians. Electrocardiographs (ECG) and clinical observation data are transmitted from ambulances and small regional hospitals to tertiary and regional referral hospitals to provide rapid advice about treatment for patients with a suspected heart attack.
-
A cardiac arrest is not a heart attack. Cardiac arrest means the heart is no longer pumping blood and oxygen around to the vital organs of the body. Quick action could save a life. Signs of a cardiac arrest include:
- Unconscious and
- Unresponsive and
- Absent or abnormal breathing
Signs of a heart attack may include:
- Pain in the chest, arms, neck arms, neck, jaw or back
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Feeling light-headed
- Symptoms may vary from person to person
-
About 20,000 Australians will suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest each year. Just one in 10 will survive. Eighty percent of out of hospital cardiac arrests occur in homes. For every minute that a patient is in cardiac arrest and not receiving CPR or Automated External Defibrillator (AED) shock, chances of survival drop by 10%.
