Around 41,000 ambulance calls are registered in Malta per year. In every single case, timing is crucial as an extra minute could be fatal.
Malta’s Government has launched a €3.8 million project to upgrade Mater Dei Hospital’s 112 technology, aiming to decrease the emergency response time. The new 112 Command Centre was inaugurated yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and Minister for Home Affairs, National Security & Law Enforcement Byron Camilleri.
TheJournal.mt has gone through the features of this new AI-generated system which will provide better resources to first responders and thus, better care to those in emergency situations.
The Once Only Principle
The new system is based on the Once Only Principle, a principle promoted by the European Commission across all EU member states. Through this system, the caller is only required to provide information once, and this is automatically recorded. As soon as someone calls 112, the system creates a profile of the individual, complete with their full name and real-time location from where the call is being made. This removes the burden from the caller of having to repeat the same information, while also saving time.
Roaming emergency responders
A number of emergency teams will be roaming the streets all day. This ensures that once a medical emergency is registered, the closest team will be sent immediately to provide assistance, thus increasing the chances of survival.
AI equipped ambulances
Ambulances are now equipped with the latest Artificial Intelligence assisted traffic trackers in collaboration with Transport Malta, which provides the fastest route to the scene.
Mobile ITU units
With the new technology installed in ambulances and in the new hub, doctors in the Emergency Department at Mater Dei Hospital will be able to see the exact condition of the patient being transported to the hospital. This will save time as patients are provided advanced care before they arrive at the hospital, via a direct link to the Emergency Department.
Better access to remote areas
The new system will enable 112 callers to send photos of their location via an advanced SMS system. This will be particularly crucial in emergency situations in remote areas, such as cliffs, where the location is not always easily identifiable.
