Grand Prix moves from CD-ROM to wireless - News - Communications

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Grand Prix moves from CD-ROM to wireless

By Catherine Best, AAP
March 29, 2006
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Grand-Prix-moves-from-CD-ROM-to-wireless/0,130061791,139248668,00.htm

When the world's Formula One stars take to the track for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend, they won't be the only ones feeling the need for speed.

Behind the scenes, a team of 150 dedicated medical staff will be pioneering groundbreaking diagnostic technology that could mean the difference between life and death in the event of a crash or other emergency.

The wireless technology, introduced to Melbourne's Albert Park track for the first time this year, will enable digital X-ray images of patients to be beamed direct to The Alfred hospital's trauma centre, shaving vital minutes off a diagnosis.

Trauma specialists will also be able to be briefed about a patient's condition in real time via video-conferencing, giving emergency crews a head start before the patient arrives at hospital.

It's believed to be the first time this technology has been used on an F1 circuit.

Centre for Health Innovation executive director Cathie Steele said X-ray images were previously burnt onto a CD-Rom and transported with the patient to hospital, a process that took about 20 minutes.

"Certainly 20 minutes can mean a lot in the life of a patient," she told reporters today. "The patient will still take that time to get to the health care centre, but in this case the centre can be better prepared because they know what's coming."

Emergency department and trauma centre nurse manager Leanne Smith said the technology could be expanded in future to transmit other data about a patient's condition.

"The likelihood of us using this technology this weekend is very high," she said. "We do get a number of injuries from the grand prix, we aim to get none, but these things do happen," she said.

"We would envisage that, yes, we'd use this every day."

A team of 150 medical professionals will be on site throughout the grand prix. Two will be stationed at 16 intervals around the track and a further 15 senior doctors, surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists will staff a portable medical centre and theatre. A helicopter will be on standby for patients needing emergency transportation to hospital.

Confederation of Australian Motor Sport chief medical officer Dr David Vissenga said the technology was potentially life saving.

"Every moment saved is time well spent," he said.

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