Deep dive: 10 components of a smart ambulance service

Even in the best of times, frontline paramedics have a difficult job. Today, their task is made harder by an increased demand on health services, and a cost of living crisis to contend with.

These factors are exacerbating difficulties for NHS ambulance services. While response times have recovered in the last year, we’re still dealing with nationwide pressures that can cause delays, potentially putting lives at risk.

However, the challenges do present new opportunities, and with this in mind, we are looking to reimagine ambulance services, building on the work already undertaken by the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust.

We’re developing smart ambulance services that apply technological interventions to improve the lives of paramedics, while bettering outcomes for patients.

But what might this look like?

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the different components of the smart ambulance service pilot deployed at the NWAS Kendal Ambulance Station – and the work currently underway to co-create a smart ambulance

We’re incredibly excited about our work in this space, bringing ambulance trusts together to meaningfully harness the potential of technology. Other Trusts can learn from what NWAS has already achieved at Kendal through their approach to innovation and process of rapid, iterative testing, but the next stage of our journey is a collective endeavour. The Lister Alliance is bringing together staff from Trusts nationwide to incorporate their ideas and co-create the future of smart ambulance services.

At the heart of The Lister Alliance is our bottom-up approach: not every Trust or ambulance station will have the same requirements or face the same challenges. By taking a ‘modular approach’, we’re creating the option to iterate updates while tailoring the technology to a Trust’s specific needs.

Let’s look at the possible components of a smart ambulance and station service, based on the solutions deployed across Kendal’s station and our ambitions for smart vehicles:

1.Digital interactive wallboard

One possible component is an interactive wallboard, offering site staff one-stop access to important information. Replacing a traditional – and often chaotic – paper noticeboard, practitioners can use an interactive model to easily access live updates on vehicle status and more.

2.Smart controlled drug keys

Digital keys provide fast and secure access to controlled drug safes at Kendal. Once a practitioner activates their key at the start of a shift, they gain access to all of the station’s controlled stores and each key use is logged. And with keys automatically deactivated   at the end of a shift, clinicians no longer need to panic about their worst nightmare – mistakenly going home with their keys at the end of the day!

3.Power of Ethernet (PoE) lighting

The high cost of energy is putting pressure on already stretched Trust budgets. Our ecosystem partner ISTL replaced the flickering fluorescent lighting at Kendal with LED lighting that is 90% more efficient. The new lights use Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology to connect, monitor, and control LED light fixtures. Smart PoE lighting reduces installation and operating costs by more than half and helps Trusts meet sustainability goals. And the benefits extend beyond cost savings. Paramedics now have the ability to control their environment through smart lighting, aligning their environment to circadian rhythms and boosting wellbeing.

4.Asset tracking for equipment 

Smart ambulances can be connected for asset monitoring functionality, by integrating Real-time location services and asset tags deployed across the station and vehicles enables management of equipment and stock levels on the go. This will save paramedics spending time looking for equipment and undertaking frequent, laborious stock checks

5.Automated vehicle checks

We’re exploring ways to digitally capture all important vehicle metrics, ranging from air temperature to fuel efficiency, for an instant health check of each ambulance. When done manually, assessments such as tyre pressure or medicine stock checks could take up to 40 minutes within every 12-hour shift. But telematics and automation can trim this downtime to just a few minutes without compromising on safety.

6.Keyless ambulance access

In the future, smart ambulances will support keyless vehicle access to get paramedics and patients on the move faster. Using ID cards for entry, paramedics can minimise time wasted during an emergency and automatically monitor their driving time, helping identify and prevent fatigue.

7.AI-powered voice assistance

Smart ambulances will be fitted with AI voice assistants to act as a digital ‘extra pair of hands’, helping paramedics juggle multiple tasks in high-pressure moments. With voice assistance, staff will be able to easily set timers, support patient communication, and keep on top of optimal drug dosages on the move.

8.Digital handholding

Ambulances can be stressful environments for patients, making it harder to provide high-quality care. We’re exploring the possibilities of ‘digital handholding’ through Webex video calls, to allow friends and family to remotely join the patient for their journey. Paramedics will also be able to use Webex to provide updates to loved ones and help patients relax, leading to better outcomes.

9.Point-of-care diagnostic testing and remote triage

Getting a patient straight to the most appropriate place of care helps to streamline treatment and reduce pressure on A&E departments, often the default destination for ambulances. Smart ambulances will be equipped with cameras for accurate virtual triage and point-of-care testing, enabling paramedics to remotely connect with consultants away from the hospital.

10.AI behavioural analysis

Smart ambulance CCTV can be equipped with machine learning capabilities to detect any potentially dangerous situations before they happen. For example, the system could make predictions and flag to crews where they may be at risk of experiencing violence and aggression at the scene of an incident.

What’s next for the smart ambulance service?

It’s no great secret that the NHS is in crisis. Previously, technology has been promised as a ‘silver bullet’ to long wait times, workforce shortages and funding pressures – but if it fails to produce results for frontline staff, they are less likely to engage. This is why we advocate for innovation in healthcare to be co-created alongside staff to ensure they are fit for purpose.

Through a ‘bottom-up’ approach that puts the needs of practitioners and patients first, smart ambulance services can support workers to provide the best possible care.

But we also understand that other Trusts may feel reluctant about making too many ‘Big Bang’ changes all at once – particularly given the importance of maintaining frontline services and protecting patients. Therefore, the above list should be treated as a menu rather than a recipe.

As we look to the future, we’ll be learning more about the needs of ambulance services all over the country. Through rapid iterative testing and reducing risk, we hope to give other regions the flexibility and reassurance to explore this healthcare technology at their own pace, tailored to the needs of their staff and patients.

The innovation in Kendal with NWAS demonstrates just how technology can help Trusts support a more resilient and empowered NHS.