Leveraging wireless communications and biomedical devices to support prehospital trauma care in Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

Advancement of information and communication technologies, along with the development of medical sensing devices and wireless communications systems are changing the way in which citizens can access to health services. Moreover, in treatment of trauma, the use of technology is playing an important role in the care of the wounded during transport to hospital. In this paper we advance in the development of our SINATRA platform for comprehensive care of trauma. Specifically, we present the processes needed for the acquisition of vital signs of wounded and its display through a Web service. Our system has been tested in a controlled laboratory environment and in real tests from an ambulance moving around the city of Cuenca-Ecuador. The results show the feasibility of our proposal.