COMPUTER DISPATCH MOVES RURAL AMBULANCE INTO NEW ERA
Ambulances in the Barwon and south-west regions are being digitally guided to patients as part of a $2.8 million Brumby Government upgrade of Rural Ambulance Victoria's dispatch systems. Health Minister Daniel Andrews said the Geelong Ambulance Centre's new Computer Aided Dispatch system will allow ambulance dispatchers to pinpoint the location of every ambulance on an electronic map, and guide them to the scene of an accident or illness.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Ambulances in the Barwon and south-west regions are being digitally guided to patients as part of a $2.8 million Brumby Government upgrade of Rural Ambulance Victoria’s dispatch systems.
Health Minister Daniel Andrews said the Geelong Ambulance Centre’s new Computer Aided Dispatch system will allow ambulance dispatchers to pinpoint the location of every ambulance on an electronic map, and guide them to the scene of an accident or illness.
“This Government is committed to providing high-quality health services to all Victorians, no matter where they live,” Mr Andrews said.
“Digital mapping will enable the dispatchers to verify address locations and identify special care requirements, enabling paramedics to be better prepared.
“The new system also incorporates structured call taking, where dispatchers follow a medically-structured triage process on the phone to quickly determine the severity and nature of the case.
“And the new CAD system comes on top of a further $11.8 million Brumby Government funding boost to RAV’s to replace its old voice radio system with a service linked in to the recently-upgraded State Mobile Radio network.
“These Brumby Government initiatives are helping to move RAV into a new age.”
Mr Andrews said the CAD system had already been implemented at three of RAV’s five emergency communication centres – Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat – and is now being installed at the Morwell and Wangaratta centres.
Mr Andrews said the CAD implementation at the Geelong Ambulance Operational Centre was on top of $3.4 million in capital funding for ambulance services in the Barwon area.
The funding includes $1.5 million for a new station and regional office at Belmont, $1.4 million for a new station at Lara and $500,000 to refurbish the Norlane branch.
“Our investment in ambulance services across the State has increased by $112 million since 1999,” Mr Andrews said.
“This has seen 25 new ambulance branches started across the State, including nine in country Victoria. We have also upgraded 45 stations, including 35 in rural areas, and put more than 700 extra paramedics and 100 new ambulances on Victoria’s roads since 1999.”
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