Project Lead(s): Timothy Chan
Issue
Time-sensitive medical emergencies are a major health concern, comprising over a third of all deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Some examples of time-sensitive medical emergencies include cardiac arrest, motor vehicle accidents, and many child and maternal health issues.
Many of these deaths could be avoided with faster ambulance response, but poorly distributed ambulance locations and inefficient route choices increase travel time and delay treatment.
Solution
The project team sought to reduce ambulance response times by developing a data-driven optimization framework, with corresponding software, that optimizes ambulance pre-positioning locations, and provides real-time travel time estimation and route optimization information to drivers.
Data was collected to understand how patients currently interact with the healthcare system, and to understand the variability in travel times and road conditions. This information provided insight on the real situation in Dhaka and allowed the development of a more representative model.
The team envisioned testing the proposed AERO (Ambulance Emergency Response Optimization) project in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh (the most densely populated city on earth), with the ultimate goal of implementing a comprehensive, computerized emergency response system (akin to 911 in North America) that is integrated with private ambulance companies.
Outcome
The project team was unable to pilot the project due to unforeseen circumstances related to the partner organizations in Bangladesh that were to implement the pilot test.
However, using the extensive field data, the project team was able to develop a framework for improving ambulance response that provides insight to both public and private ambulance companies. This methodology is applicable to many developing countries without a centralized ambulance system. Connections have been made with organizations in other low- and middle-income countries, such as India and Lebanon, that are interested in piloting the Ambulance Emergency Response Optimization tool.
Results from the project will be published in appropriate academic and trade journals, and presented at international conferences.