For urgent medical assistance in critical cases, Manipal Hospitals launch SOS QR Code to hail ambulances faster

The key to saving lives during heart attacks lies in delivering prompt assistance such as CPR during the 'golden hour'.

Bengaluru: In an attempt to save lives and provide first aid faster during medical emergencies, Manipal Hospitals on Thursday launched an advanced SOS QR code through which one can avail ambulance service at the earliest in times of distress.

Manipal Hospitals has strategically positioned the QR codes at key traffic intersections, apartments, and a few vehicles for easy access during emergencies. Patients or their caregivers can in an instant scan these codes using their Android and iOS mobile phones. The QR code will seamlessly provide real-time, patient location information to the nearest Manipal Ambulance Response Service and 108 Ambulance team.

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These ambulances have been strategically stationed at various key points throughout the city so that they can transport patients to the nearest hospital.

Manipal Hospitals has also launched a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education programme for Bengalureans and proposed to the state government to make CPR education mandatory in colleges and schools to make the community capable of providing critical assistance during medical emergencies.

Through these initiatives, the multi-specialty healthcare chain said, it aims to ensure that every critical patient receives timely assistance during the ‘golden hour’.

In medical circles, the ‘golden hour’ is referred to as the period of time immediately after an adverse health event such as a heart attack or stroke or traumatic injury during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical and surgical treatment would prevent death.

As part of its health awareness programme, Manipal Hospitals has also transformed traffic signals into heart-shaped symbols. These traffic signals display SOS QR codes for easy access to the ambulance service. The heart-shaped signal at the traffic junction is meant to be a reminder to everyone that every life counts and that one should not neglect one’s own hear health.

This trend was set by introducing red heart signals last year at key traffic junctions, which was expanded to 37 traffic signals this year as well, with the support of Bengaluru Traffic Police and BBMP.

The event was inaugurated by Home Minister G Parameshwara and Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao along with Dr Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman of Manipal hospitals.

As per data from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 47 per cent of cardiac arrest fatalities occur prior to a patient’s arrival at the hospital.

The key to saving lives during heart attacks lies in delivering prompt assistance such as CPR during the ‘golden hour’.

Speaking about the newly launched initiatives, Dr Ballal said that at the time of an accident or a medical emergency, one just needs to scan the QR code and one of the ambulances of the hospital would get activated and rush to the spot as early as possible.

“We have about 35 ambulances in our system in Bengaluru, which may not be enough. So, we have also sought the help of the ‘108’ ambulance service so that there are enough ambulances to address the issue in case of emergency. We also want to educate as many number of people as possible about CPR so that we can save lives,” he said.

Home Minister Parameshwara extended his support to the initiative and said he will make CPR training mandatory in police training academies in the state and also take efforts to include it in school and college curricula.

“We have more than 12 police training academies in Karnataka and we will include CPR as part of our police training programme,” he said.

Appreciating the initiatives of Manipal Hospitals, Health Minister Gundu Rao said that in emergency situations, the quicker the patient is brought to the hospital, the better the chances of recovery increases.

“We are also working to improve 108 ambulance service facilities and will push for giving CPR training to more and more people, as it can save more lives,” he added.