Telenotarzt: Waldeck-Frankenberg and Main-Kinzig cooperate

One wrong movement and it happens: a tendon is torn or the ankle is broken. In this painful situation, every minute becomes agony for those affected until a sufficient dose of painkillers can finally be administered. Thanks to the "Telenotarzt" project, it is possible for emergency personnel to relieve the patients' pain even before the "travelling" emergency doctor arrives. The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg has been linked to the Telenotarzt in the Main-Kinzig district for three years. For the people in Waldeck-Frankenberg, this is a further improvement in emergency care.

Emergency doctor is connected online
Because the emergency doctor can be connected to the ambulance in seconds from his fully digitalised workplace in the central control centre. The live transmission of audio communication, vital signs, photos and videos from the scene of the emergency enables a quick assessment of the situation and thus the highly qualified, non-medical rescue service personnel on site can be authorised to administer a higher dose of painkillers or other required medication.

15 ambulances to be equipped with system in 2023
"So far, we have seven vehicles in use in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district. The expansion to a total of 15 vehicles is planned for the next twelve months. This will enable us - independently of the existing emergency doctor systems in the four medium-sized centres - to ensure additional area-wide coverage with a telenotary doctor," reports Karl-Friedrich Frese, First District Commissioner of the Waldeck-Frankenberg district, on the cooperation with the Main-Kinzig district, which he recently presented to the district council together with Dr. Rudolf Alexi, the medical director of the rescue service and Gerhard Biederbick, the director of the rescue service, fire protection and disaster control, to discuss the project and to take a look at the possibilities for development.

Treat digitally and save valuable time
The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg has been linked to the Telenotarzt in the Main-Kinzig district for three years. This means that, if necessary, ambulance operations in Waldeck-Frankenberg can be accompanied from Gelnhausen. This is a service that conserves the personnel resources of the ambulance service and at the same time makes it possible for more ambulance trips to be accompanied by an emergency doctor. Important treatment steps can thus already be taken on the way to the hospital. The tele-emergency doctor does not replace the so-called ground-based emergency doctor, but it saves journeys and time in cases where it is really only a matter of obtaining an emergency medical assessment. This is an important issue, especially in view of the longer distances in Waldeck-Frankenberg, Hesse's largest district.

Background
The tele-emergency doctor in the Main-Kinzig district began in 2018 as a pilot project in the Spessart region and was expanded to the western area in 2020 due to the good results. Since 2022, telemedical care has also been available in the entire Main-Kinzig district. The Waldeck-Frankenberg district has been connected to the system for three years. In the meantime, the telenot doctor is also to be introduced throughout Hesse. both districts are working on the project with the company Umlaut Telehealthcare from Aachen.

Keywords:

Rescue Service, Fire & Civil Protection Health Promotion Health Creates the Future