KOCHI: The country’s first-ever assisted reality (AR) ambulance, which allows doctors to see and give directions to patients remotely, has been developed by Apothecary Medical Services, a startup based in Aluva. Shashi Tharoor, MP, will launch the service in Thiruvananthapuram on April 11, company officials said, adding that it will feature the first 5G-enabled ambulance in the state.
The purpose of the technologically cutting-edge ambulance, according to Dr Nadeem Sha, the brain behind it, is to reduce the number of people who suffer and die while being transported to hospitals because of delayed treatment.
The ambulance features telemedicine software to consult specialists during an emergency and pass on their instructions to junior doctors in the vehicle. Also, expert doctors will be able to treat patients in the ambulance using smart eyewear. Even a specialist in the hospital or at a remote location would be able to view the images on the screen through the camera attached to the eyewear, which will enable them to view the patient’s health status. Technology and software will aid in data transmission during hospital transportation.
The ambulance also boasts extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) facilities.
It has completed a 30-day trial run with 50 patients. “It is the outcome of two years of effort. While pursuing my PG in emergency medicine, I witnessed patients dying while being transported to hospital. And many maternal deaths happen due to delayed treatment. My idea was the result of my experiences,” said Dr Nadeem.
The ambulance will involve an initial expense of Rs 2.5 crore. “This is because we have to develop the software as well. Future services and vehicles will be more affordable,” he said. Apothecary, which was founded in May 2021 in the wake of the second Covid-19 wave, has joined hands with Aster Medcity to launch the ambulance.