Pre-hospital triage is often challenging since the medical state of the patient is often both acute and unclear. A head-strap voice control camera for paramedic personnel, in combination with advanced functions for two-way communication connected to a secured health network, frees the hands of the paramedic to fully allow him/her to care for a patient in an emergency situation while simultaneously being able to receive advice from a medical specialist based at the hospital emergency unit or elsewhere. The innovation may result in patients being able to receive treatment closer to where they live, since consulting with a physician (e.g. anaesthetists or other emergency medicine specialist at the hospital) may resolve if transport to a hospital is necessary or if the patient may be helped locally by a physician, in a care home, or at home.
Sykehuset Innlandet (Innlandet Hospital Trust) is testing the innovation together with selected municipalities within the hospital's catchment. Following the ongoing testing and implementation at Sykehuset Innlandet there are plans for scale-up. This requires an empirical analysis with a more comprehensive assessment of the health consequences and potential economic gains of the innovation. This project will make a first assessment of potential cost savings due to the innovations, with the aim of laying the foundation for a more comprehensive health economic analysis.