Figure 1.
ALS, Advanced Life Support; EMS, Emergency Medical Service. * if telemedical and standard ambulance had the same distance to emergency location: primary dispatch of telemedical ambulance, regardless of the type of emergency † technical and organizational assessments.
Figure 2.
Interior of the telemedically equipped ambulance.
Picture A. Trailing scene with a volunteer in the role of a patient and paramedics from the fire department. The video camera is behind a glass cover (Picture B and indicated by the red arrow). The camera position in the ceiling allows zooming to the patient’s face and looking at all body regions from the teleconsultation center. Picture A provided by Peter Winandy, Aachen, Germany.
Figure 3.
Three monitors display the following information: Vital data (numerical values and curves), transmitted 12-lead-ECGs, transmitted still pictures, video transmission from the ambulance, software to fill out stroke checklist, position of the ambulance via global positioning system, internet access. One touchscreen monitor enabled audio system control and monitoring of data transmission.
Figure 4.
Stroke history checklist used.
Translated version, original version in German. The checklist was completed electronically in the teleconsultation center and sent via e-mail to fax to the emergency department and handed over to the neurologist. EMS, Emergency Medical Service; PMH, past medical history.
Table 1.
Subject demographics of all included patients.
Table 2.
Prehospital and in-hospital time intervals.