Manipal Launches Monitored Ambulance Service

Named MARS, people can dial the 24x7 helpline 22221111 to avail the ambulance services.

BENGALURU: Manipal Hospitals on Thursday launched an ambulance service ‘Manipal Ambulance Response Service’ (MARS), and an emergency helpline 22221111 for clinical exigencies.

Speaking after the launch of the services at a programme to observe Ambulance Day, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic)  B Dayananda said during road traffic emergencies, patients should be rushed to the hospital within the ‘golden hour’ to avoid major complications. “I am glad more ambulances are being added in the city,” he said.

He said the city traffic department’s initiative of a freeway for ambulances will become full-fledged soon.

Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, Medical Director, Manipal Hospitals, said MARS will provide total monitored patient transportation during an emergency.

This service will help the patients and community at large to save precious life during the ‘golden hour’.

As many as 16 ambulances will be stationed at crucial junctions in the city round the clock to attend to patients in distress, he said.

How It Works

• Emergency calls reach the hospital’s centralised command centre -- Emergency Response Centre (ERC)
• ERC analyses the patient’s condition
• The right ambulance is sent — either Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Vital signs are measured by EMT during patient transit (blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, ECG and oxygen level) and the attending doctor/physician will keep the emergency department and specialist doctor kept ready in the hospital to receive the critical emergency case, informed.
• Some Features of MARS
• MARS ambulances are equipped with monitoring equipment, including an ECG machine, multi
• para monitor and ventilator
• For all critical emergencies, the MARS ambulance reaches the location of
• the emergency with a
• doctor (depending on the case) and a paramedic
• If the patient requires immediate medical intervention, he/she will be taken
• to the nearest medical centre that is equipped to handle the emergency
• Patients with burn injuries cases will be referred to specialised burn centres in Bengaluru