Drones Delivering Emergency Blood Could Save Lives
A northern beaches doctor who delivers critical care to patients in remote areas of the state says drones transporting blood could save lives.
Dr Brian Burns, 43, will make the case at an international conference in Germany.
He will be the first speaker at the Social Media and Critical Care (SMACC) conference in Berlin.
The Royal North Shore Hospital emergency department doctor said he had watched in frustration at the time it could take to get blood to trauma victims in more remote parts of NSW.
As a regular on board the NSW Ambulance and Toll Rescue Helicopter, delivering critical care and retrieval for patients across the state, Dr Burns has seen many horrific scenes.
He said drones could be a vital tool in emergency blood delivery.
“I’ve done jobs as far away as west of Bourke … the challenge of this country is that not everyone lives near a trauma hospital and we need to harness technology to give everyone the best chance of survival, regardless of where they live,” he said.
“Getting blood products to a scene quickly can be the difference between life and death. Blood products are an emergency lifeline.
“If any country is going to be innovative in this area, it’ll be Australia because of the distances involved. Challenges foster innovation.”
Under Dr Burns’ vision, drones bearing lifesaving blood could be dispatched from the nearest big hospital, ensuring supplies arrive at the scene at the same time or before doctors and paramedics arrive in a helicopter.
This article was originally published by the Daily Telegraph.