Dimension Data awarded innovative health technology project
Dimension Data awarded innovative health technology project
Dimension Data, a Convergence Partners’ investee, was awarded the responsibility of running a sophisticated data-capturing technology to improve ambulance response times in the Western Cape for the next four years. The project initiated by the Western Cape Government is scheduled to be operational by November of 2013.
Launching the R250 million system last week, Health MEC Theuns Botha said not only would the new information and communication technology system improve data capturing at EMS call centres, but it would “get ambulance response to emergencies in the shortest time possible”.
This project will be implemented over the next four years, with it being phased in from November 2013. The new system would result in the existing 10177 communication-aided dispatch technology being upgraded to provide “fast and efficient data capturing and quick dispatching of emergency resources to incidents”.
Dr Shaheem de Vries, medical services manager at EMS, said once the implementation of the technology was complete in the next few years, it would allow EMS call centres to locate where the call was made.
“One of the problems we have in informal settlements is locating addresses. If your cellphone technology knows where you are, it would send that information to our system…” he said.
Once ambulance staff arrives on scene, the new technology would also allow them to capture patient details electronically, which can then be sent to the hospital prior to the ambulance’s arrival.