EENA 2021: Remote call-taking (2/3)
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This document presents a case study on the remote dispatch capabilities of Lausanne Medical Dispatch during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting challenges faced and solutions implemented. Key strategies included training paramedics as dispatchers and setting up remote working stations amidst potential border closures. Ultimately, while prepared with backup solutions, the systems were not utilized during the crisis, underscoring the need for adaptability and better compensation for dispatch staff.
EENA 2021: Remote call-taking (2/3)
- 1. 12 octobre 2021 1 Fondation Urgences Santé Fabrice Dami, MD, MBA Medical Director Lausanne medical dispatch, Switzerland Attending physician, Emergency department, Lausanne University Hospital Fabrice.dami@chuv.ch Remote dispatch from another country: a Case Study
- 2. 12 octobre 2021 2 Fondation Urgences Santé No conflict of interest
- 3. 12 octobre 2021 3 Fondation Urgences Santé Geographical Context (1/3) - Switzerland
- 4. 12 octobre 2021 4 Fondation Urgences Santé Geographical Context (2/3) - Lausanne
- 5. 12 octobre 2021 5 Fondation Urgences Santé Geographical Context (3/3) – Lausanne & Neighbouring France
- 6. 12 octobre 2021 6 Fondation Urgences Santé Swiss Economical Context - Higher income - Higher costs (rent, insurances, all goods) - Many cross-border workers (Swiss, French, other nationals) - Increased buying power
- 7. 12 octobre 2021 7 Fondation Urgences Santé Lausanne medical dispatch • 30 dispatchers • Half of them living in neighbouring France, across the Geneva lake
- 8. 12 octobre 2021 8 Fondation Urgences Santé Challenge / Risk • First wave COVID arrives: France and Switzerland may close their borders • Critical Staff cannot travel to work • Lausanne medical dispatch unable to pursue its mission
- 9. 12 octobre 2021 9 Fondation Urgences Santé Solutions Considered • Keep (volunteering) dispatchers in Switzerland (hotel rooms): for how long? • Train spare paramedics (eg. not being able to work on the field anymore due to medical conditions) into dispatchers • Set up remote working stations
- 10. 12 octobre 2021 10 Fondation Urgences Santé Solutions Implemented • 2 hotel rooms were booked for a month • 3 paramedics were trained for call taking • Remote working stations were set to face border closure and/or quarantine of asymptomatic dispatchers
- 11. 12 octobre 2021 11 Fondation Urgences Santé Remote working stations • CAD and phone systems were tested in private homes….in France! (in the operational director’s basement!) • Political issue: State Health authorities were not informed… • Technical issue: communication between dispatch in Lausanne and remote stations? Radio? Dispatch of incoming calls between the main dispatch and remote stations?
- 12. 12 octobre 2021 12 Fondation Urgences Santé Remote working stations: what worked, what did not • Remote: treated all back office and incoming calls from professionnals (automatic deviation from phone server). • Remote: no treatment of emergency calls • Remote: no recording of calls available (working on mobiles), no radio (Polycom) • Implementation of a chat between main dispatch and remote places (Slack)
- 13. 12 octobre 2021 13 Fondation Urgences Santé Conclusion • We were ready but did not have to use any of all the backup solutions set in place (remote, hotel rooms, new trained dispatchers) • This is prehospital care: be creative as usual • During crisis the objective is to pursue the mission at any cost • Risks have to be taken (no information on State authorities) • Need to increase dispatchers’ salary to be able to hire Swiss resident only
- 14. 12 octobre 2021 14 Fondation Urgences Santé Questions ? CONCLUSION