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

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Asthma; COPD
• Interventions: Device: Teleconsultation

• Registration Number: NCT01644045
• Lead Sponsor: RWTH Aachen University

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.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2012-07-12
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-07-16
• Study First Posted: 2012-07-18
• Study Start: 2012-08
• Primary Completion: 2013-07
• Status Verified: 2015-09
• Study Completion: 2015-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-09-21
• Last Update Posted: 2015-09-22

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 17

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Device: Teleconsultation	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Oxygen Saturation	average 1 hour	Measurement of pulse oximetric oxygen saturation at the timepoint of first contact with a physician (EMS physician OR hospital arrival)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Rate of complications	2 hours	Rate of complications due to medications: allergic reaction, heart rhythm problems
Quality of emergency care	average 1 hour	Analysis of the quality of prehospital care on the basis of published guidelines for asthma / COPD.
Rate of ventilation	average 1 hour	Fraction of patients that receive invasive or non-invasive ventilation during the prehospital phase

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University Hospital Aachen; 🇩🇪 Aachen, Germany