Phoenix: On Nov. 17, LifeBot LLC acted to expand its leading technology position in emergency telemedicine communications. Combining DREAMS with LifeBot patented technologies promises to make available the most powerful and advanced prehospital EMS communications systems. Considered by many to be the most highly developed ambulance to hospital EMS telemedicine communications system ever deployed, DREAMS is the first and only system to provide fully interactive simultaneous “live” transmissions of video and critical patient data. The system in essence brings hospital specialists to the scene giving doctors and nurses a virtual telepresence to collaborate in saving lives and managing disasters in real time, on the “battlefield,” at home or abroad.

The “Super Ambulance” system utilizes multiple remote controlled cameras to provide hospital based emergency specialists invaluable live intelligence, emergency preparedness or “situational awareness” so prompt, objective, and safe lifesaving assessments and treatments may be made. The hospital knows more precisely “what’s coming in the door” and can accurately prepare the appropriate assets accordingly and reduce costs.(1) The patient’s physiologic vital signs, data, and medical record reporting e-PCR are updated dynamically between the hospital and the scene. The system is especially valuable for treatment of cardiac, trauma, stroke victims and is important in remote areas where transport times may be prolonged. And, the system may actually act to protect ambulance personal and providers during sensitive difficult situations.(2) It may enhance critical decisions during disasters and mass casualty events. DREAMS can make the difference in saving thousands of lives, reducing medical errors and their associated risks further lowering costs.

This development also signals an alliance of extraordinary industry expertise. R. Lee Heath, the CEO and founder of LifeBot, has recently been awarded his thirty-first patent and is best known as the inventor businessman making possible the modern Automatic External Heart Defibrillator (AED). Heath has many more patents pending that may also be aligned with DREAMS developer’s pending patents. For example, the DREAMS family includes a backpack telemedicine system that may be worn by medics on the front-line and in military battlefield operations. Heath’s awarded patent covers a miniaturized telemedicine life support system ideal for such applications. The company is excited about working on the evolution of these advancements with the “DREAMS Team.”

LifeBot has successfully marketed the first fully digital VoIP (Voice Over IP) telemedicine communications workstation for use in hospital Emergency Departments and 911 dispatch call centers. Orders for this product are currently being filled by the company. The workstation is the ideal launch-pad for the DREAMS technologies adding control of radio, telephone, cellular and broadband communications now in demand nationally for hospital and public safety interoperability after the 9/11 terrorism disaster. The system qualifies for most broadband telemedicine and interoperability communications grants provided by DHS, ASPR, and BTOP Stimulus funding.

LifeBot recently signed an agreement with Avia Health Informatics, Plc or Plain Healthcare. The LifeBot communications workstation system may include their Odyssey nurse teletriage software that has demonstrated significant and safe reductions in non-emergent transports and has saved major metropolitan EMS providers millions of dollars.(3) When combined with DREAMS, the combination represents an opportunity to substantially lower overall provider costs while, at the same time, increasing both the levels and quality of emergency patient care using deployment of the advanced ambulance telemedicine systems. The company has also signed agreements with Bosch, Hewlett-Packard and Clearwire to utilize their leading technologies within its designs.

Jonathan Linkous, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association has stated, “Residents of major metropolitan areas should expect most ambulances to have mobile video and data links within a decade.” Dr. Rifat Latifi, a leading authority and Director of Telemedicine at the University of Arizona has stated, “I think five years is more reasonable. It should be part of our practice.”(4) The convergence of LifeBot and DREAMS tested and proven technologies can make this now feasible, plus a lot more that will be announced in the near future, according to LifeBot CEO Heath.

About DREAMS
The DREAMS (Disaster Relief and Emergency Medical Services) digital emergency medical services (Digital EMS) program is led by famed trauma surgeon and educator, Dr. James H. “Red” Duke Jr. Dr. Duke is professor of surgery, holder of the John B. Holmes Professorship and chief of surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), as well as medical director of Memorial Hermann Life Flight. The software, hardware, and telecommunications aspects of this program are led by Texas A&M Researcher Larry Flournoy, and Texas Engineering Experiment Station researcher James Wall, PhD. The digital EMS program has developed and deployed wireless video communications and combining AVL/GPS (Automatic Vehicle Location/Global Positioning System) technology and advanced software to enable ambulances and helicopters to reach the victim sooner, begin triage, diagnosis and treatment on the scene, and coordinate helicopters and ambulances to minimize transport time to the nearest appropriate facility, using continuous “live” communication with these facilities.

DREAMS has already been successfully deployed and tested aboard “Super Ambulances” in multiple counties of Texas. In addition, these “Super Ambulances” also have aided with rescue efforts during the aftermath of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. DREAMS is a tested and proven “battlefield” application.(5,6,7)

The development of this system was in conjunction with U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) through its Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC). TATRC performs medical reconnaissance and special operations to address critical gaps that are underrepresented in DoD medical research programs. Versions of DREAMS also include field and disaster deployable “MASH” style versions that may be dropped into combat theaters and a HMMWV 9978A2 (Humvee) prototype for in-the-field use by the U.S. Military.

About LifeBot
LifeBot provides exclusive patented emergency telemedicine and home telehealth personal survival life-support solutions with digital collaborative systems to eliminate disparate communications issues during emergencies with next generation broadband interoperability so the benefits of achieving telemedicine, telehealth, disaster and emergency preparedness objectives may all be fully realized. The company was founded by R. Lee Heath, who is best known as the inventor businessman making possible the life-saving Automatic External Heart Defibrillator (AED) now in common use throughout the world. Mr. Heath was recommended for the Lemelson MIT Prize by American Heart Association officials and other peers. His experience spans almost four decades in the design and deployment of emergency life support and their communications systems.

References & Links
1. Telemedicine and e-Health, “Telethinking With Rifat Latifi, M.D.,” June 2009, 15(5):410-415. doi:10.1089/tmj.2009.9966. http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/tmj.2009.9966

2. BBC, “CCTV to Protect Ambulance Staff,” http://goo.gl/QJTY

3. LifeBot, “Teletriage – Introducing Odyssey from Plain Healthcare” http://www.lifebot.us.com/teletriage/

4. Hospitals and Health Networks, Neil Versel “Mobile Video Systems Link ED” http://goo.gl/C1TF

5. Associated Press/KTRK News Video Report – “DREAMS Digital Ambulance” *see link below

6. KTRK ABC-TV 13 Houston, News Video Report Video – “Super Ambulances” *see link below

7. KPRC NBC-NEWS 2 Houston, News Video Report – “DREAMS Project and MediCam” *see link below

*The above referenced news videos display the DREAMS system in actual use, with Dr. James ‘Red” Duke managing a call at Hermann Memorial Hospital and the mobile MediCam telemedicine system worn by a field paramedic. These videos may be viewed online at http://www.lifebot.us.com/dreams/.