Prehospital Emergency Care of Obstructive Respiratory Emergencies With the Use of Teleconsultation

NCT ID: NCT01644045

Last Updated: 2015-09-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 17 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-08-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-09-30

Brief Summary

The aim of the study is to investigate the quality of prehospital emergency care in acute respiratory emergencies, when paramedics are supported telemedically by an EMS physician.

Detailed Description

Six ambulances from five different Emergency Medical Service (EMS) districts are equipped with a portable telemedicine system. In cases of acute obstructive, respiratory emergencies the paramedics can use this system to contact a so called "tele-EMS physician" after consent of the patient was obtained. The tele-EMS physician has an audio-connection to the EMS team and receives vital parameters (e.g., ECG, pulse oximetry, non-invasive blood pressure) in real-time. The transmission of still pictures (taken with a smartphone), 12-lead-ECGs and video streaming from the inside of the ambulance can also be carried out, if indicated. The tele-EMS physician supports the EMS team in obtaining all relevant medical history, diagnosis and can delegate the application of medications. This can be carried out to bridge the time to the arrival of an EMS physician or in less severe cases without an EMS physician on-scene. The quality of prehospital care and the possible influences on the initial inhospital phase should be investigated and compared with regular EMS.

Conditions

Asthma; COPD

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Device: Teleconsultation

In cases of acute obstructive, respiratory emergencies if patients give informed consent the paramedics can use this system to contact a so called "tele-EMS physician" who has an audio-connection to the EMS team and receives vital parameters (e.g., ECG, pulse oximetry, non-invasive blood pressure) in real-time. The transmission of still pictures (taken with a smartphone), 12-lead-ECGs and video streaming from the inside of the ambulance can also be carried out, if indicated. The tele-EMS physician supports the EMS team in obtaining all relevant medical history, diagnosis and can delegate the application of medications. This can be carried out to bridge the time to the arrival of an EMS physician or in less severe cases without an EMS physician on-scene. The quality of prehospital care and the possible influences on the initial inhospital phase should be investigated and compared with regular EMS.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Teleconsultation

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Teleconsultation for the EMS in acute respiratory emergencies

Interventions

Teleconsultation

Teleconsultation for the EMS in acute respiratory emergencies

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Obstructive, respiratory emergency
• Verbal consent for teleconsultation obtained or patient is not able to consent due the severity of the emergency

Exclusion Criteria

• No respiratory emergency
• Refused consent for teleconsultation

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

RWTH Aachen University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Rolf Rossaint, Prof. Dr.

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

University Hospital Aachen, Germany, Department of Anesthesiology

Jörg C Brokmann, Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hospital Aachen, Germany, Emergency Department

Locations

University Hospital Aachen

Aachen, , Germany

Countries

Germany

Other Identifiers

PtJ-Az.: z0909im002b

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

005-1003-0034-4

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id