Artificial Intelligence helping paramedics

Artificial intelligence to assist paramedics with patients is being developed in collaboration with organizations from the United states and Canada.

A presentation on the program known as AUDREY, was made to Hastings County Council on Thursday.

AUDREY stands for Assistant for Understanding Data through Reasoning, Extraction and Synthesis.

It has been developed in collaboration with organizations from the United States and Canada to enhance future communication and decision making for first responders.

Paul Ragsdale of the US department of Homeland Security says the exercise brings together Hastings County, including paramedics and medical oversight for Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Services, with the department from the United States federal government and the Canadian government, Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science.

In an experiment, the AUDREY system improved communication between paramedics in the field and emergency room physicians at Kingston General Hospital.

Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Chief Doug Socha tells Quinte News in the experiment AUDREY was used for a simulated male complaining of chest pains, analyzing video to assist in search and rescue operations, and linking to CCTV cameras to help detect people in a disaster situation.

Chief of Emergency Services Doug Socha said the intelligence system takes the place of cell phone communication between the doctor in the hospital and the paramedic in the ambulance.

Socha says the Audrey system has also been shown to be quicker than a drone at finding a lost person.

“Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is excited to bring first responders together with technology like AUDREY to improve decision-making on the front line in our communities,” said Gerry Doucette, from DRDC CSS. “Artificial intelligence and other advanced decision supports are positioned to improve patient outcomes for paramedic calls for service.”

Hastings County Warden, Rick Phillips said “Hastings County Paramedics have been a leader in innovation and technology and are proud to participate in the development of technology to further enhance decision making for paramedics.”