With number of ambulances in its fleet increased to 34, GVK EMRI operating 108 ambulance services is all set to improve response time in Coimbatore.
Operators of the ambulance services said they are striving to attend an emergency in 10 minutes by reducing the current average response time of 14 minutes.
“The current average response time taken to attend an emergency is 14 minutes. Our aim is to improve it to 10 minutes so that the patient will be in safer hands of emergency medical technician (EMT), who gives pre-hospital care to the patient in the platinum 10 minutes of the trauma. In case of serious emergency conditions, the EMT can contact the doctor at call centre and seek guidance,” said V. Muthukrishnan, GVK EMRI’s programme manger for Coimbatore.
Operated in collaboration with National Health Mission, Tamil Nadu, the number of 108 ambulances in the district was recently increased from 31 to 34 by launching one vehicle each at ESI Medical College Hospital Singanallur, Thudiyalur and Samathur. The agency also has plans to launch one at Sulthanpet to attend emergency requirements between Pollachi and Palladam of Tirupur.
“The ambulances are deployed strategically to attend emergencies without causing delay. If ambulance deployed at a particular location is engaged, another one from the nearest location is sent to attend the emergency. To improve the response time and identify the location, all vehicles are fitted with Global Positioning System,” Mr. Muthukrishnan said. In Coimbatore, GVK EMRI operates one neonatal ambulance specially designed to attend paediatric emergencies and one bike ambulance. In hilly terrains of Valparai, Pollachi and Seliyur, all wheel drive (4X4) vehicles have been converted to ambulances to reach remote locations.
Majority of the patients are picked and transported to District Headquarters Hospital Pollachi, Government Hospital Mettupalayam and Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
Mr. Muthukrishnan said that there has been an increase in the number of emergencies attended by 108 ambulances in the last three years. While the average number of emergencies attended per month was 3,087 in 2015, the same increased to 3,369 per month in 2016. In the current year till July-end, the average number of emergencies per month was 3,745. “In July this year, we witnessed highest number of emergencies attended in a month. Of the 4,464 emergencies attended, 923 were related to road traffic accidents,” he added.