A Swedish project in operation since 2010 has changed the paradigms about the future of emergency medical care, by only sending an SMS to a volunteer.
SMS – lifesaver is a simple system that allows any person who has been trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to volunteer for emergencies when a person has suffered a heart attack after being geolocated through their mobile device.
The system will check into the universe of volunteers that are close to the place where the emergency was reported, and once identified, an SMS is sent through the SMSlifesaver App, with the address of the emergency and a map to get quickly to the place.
This mechanism currently operates in Stockholm looking to save as many lives as possible, allowing volunteers to arrive as quickly as possible to the site to begin CPR and keep the person alive while an ambulance arrives with professional equipment.
Another function that fulfills this technology is to notify other volunteers where the nearest defibrillator is.
SMS – lifesaver works on GSM phones and smartphones and has been well received in Stockholm, where they had over 9,000 volunteers registered since 2009. Since that date, 54% of the times a volunteer has arrived to the emergency site before an ambulance.
More initiatives
Sweden is not the only country where projects of this nature take place. The United States has a similar initiative called PulsePoint, operating in parts of California. Emergency alerts are sent when a person is suffering cardiac arrest, warning volunteers (professionals out of service) in the area to carry out resuscitation.
This is another example of how mobility is involved in all aspects of life, and having important functions even saving lives.
Source: http://bit.ly/1jhfhK0