Patient in ambulance remote monitoring system.

Abstract

According to statistics, many patients in Uganda loose lives due to unnecessary delays experienced in the life saving process. The doctors are not able to monitor the patient remotely and have no idea about the patient’s health pattern prior to arrival in hospital. During an emergency like accident, heart attack, hypertension, high fevers or any case that requires immediate medical response, an ambulance is called into action. This forms part of the prehospital care system. Patient in Ambulance Remote Monitoring System as the subject system relies on the algorithm that continuously monitors the blood pressure, heartbeat rate and temperature of the patient while in ambulance. It uses non-invasive tools and does not require any technicality in reading or measuring the values. It displays the values for viewing in the ambulance as it provides a link between the ambulance and the hospital by being able to transmit the patient’s vital values and receive feedback in form of text from hospital. The message from the hospital is also displayed on the LCD in the ambulance. Using GSM modem, the sending and receiving of texts is based on a mobile network and the messages sent are subject to standard charges by the service provider. The blood pressure sensor, the heart beat rate sensor are clipped on the patient’s finger while the temperature sensor is inserted under the patient’s armpits or in between the fingers. The blood pressure and heart beat sensor are built on the principle of Photo plethysmography. This principle determines the blood volume changes in the micro vascular bed of tissue such as breathing, blood forced into vessels and the heart pumping. It uses the emitter and detector to measure the pulses during the blood flow. The system development was motivated by the need to improve on the health care system of Uganda by improving on the life rescue process during emergencies. Generally, this system enables the doctors to remotely monitor the patient while in ambulance and to be able to guide the ambulance if there is need, example change direction or carry out a certain action on the patient in effort to save the life.