Real time defibrillator incident data
System and methods for delivering defibrillator incident information to a PSAP in real-time during emergency use of an AED are described. Such information is utilized by a telecommunicator at a PSAP to provide better guidance to volunteer caregivers during potential cardiac arrest incidents. In another aspect the AED's current instruction state and optionally the time in that state is provided to the PSAP.
1. A method of communicating defibrillator incident information to a telecommunicator at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in real time during emergency use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), the method comprising:
at an AED network server, receiving defibrillator incident information generated by the AED directly or indirectly from the AED in real time during the emergency use of the AED; and
electronically transmitting at least selected portions of the defibrillator incident information from the AED network server directly or indirectly to the PSAP, the PSAP being located remotely relative to the AED network server and being responsible for handling calls to emergency services originating from an area that includes a current location of the AED, wherein the selected defibrillator incident information is forwarded to the PSAP in real time during the emergency use of the AED such that the selected defibrillator incident information can be utilized in real time by the telecommunicator to provide directions to a caregiver utilizing the AED or a caller at the location of the AED during the emergency use of the AED.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the AED network server processes at least some of the defibrillator incident information received from the AED and at least some of the selected defibrillator incident information transmitted to the PSAP is transmitted in a different format than such defibrillator incident information was received in.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising displaying at least some of the selected defibrillator incident information on a display at the PSAP for use by the telecommunicator in real time while communicating with the caregiver or caller.
4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising the telecommunicator utilizing the selected defibrillator incident information to provide directions to the caregiver or caller during the emergency use of the AED.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, at the AED network server, determining the appropriate PSAP to forward the selected defibrillator incident information to based at least in part on the current location of the AED.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the AED network server forwards the selected defibrillator incident information to an emergency services interface, the method further comprising, at the emergency services interface, determining the appropriate PSAP to forward the selected defibrillator incident information to based at least in part on the current location of the AED.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the selected defibrillator incident information includes a current user instruction state of the AED.
8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein the selected defibrillator incident information further includes an indication of an amount of time that the AED has been in the current user instruction state.
9. An automated external defibrillator (AED) configured to electronically transmit selected defibrillator incident information directly or indirectly to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) responsible for handling calls to emergency services originating from an area that includes a current location of the AED, wherein the selected defibrillator incident information is forwarded to the PSAP in real time during the emergency use of the AED such that the selected defibrillator incident information can be utilized in real time by a telecommunicator at the PSAP to provide directions to a caregiver utilizing the AED or to a caller at the location of the AED during the emergency use of the AED, wherein the selected defibrillator incident information includes at least one of a current or a next instruction state of the AED.
10. An AED as recited in claim 9 configured to transmit the defibrillator incident information to the PSAP via at least an AED network server.
11. An AED as recited in claim 9 configured to transmit the defibrillator incident information to the PSAP via at least an emergency services interface (ESI).
12. A method comprising:
at an AED network server, directly or indirectly electronically receiving a message from a telecommunicator at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), the AED network server being located remotely relative to the PSAP; and
forwarding the message, or transmitting at least a portion of the information contained in the message, directly or indirectly to an automated external defibrillator (AED) to thereby facilitate communications from the PSAP to the AED via the AED network server.
13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the message is conveyed from the telecommunicator to the AED during emergency use of the AED.
14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the message is a triggering message that causes the AED to generate a predetermined audio instruction that is prestored by the AED.
15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the triggering message causes the AED to play or replay a CPR guidance instruction.
16. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the triggering message causes the AED to play or replay an instruction that requests a user to select an operating mode appropriate for a patient that the AED is being used for.
17. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the triggering message causes the AED or a unit associated with the AED to play an audio request to turn the AED on.
18. An AED network server configured to perform the method of claim 12 .
19. A method of communicating information to a telecommunicator at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), the method comprising:
at an emergency services interface (ESI), receiving defibrillator incident information generated by and automated external defibrillator (AED) directly or indirectly from the AED in real time during the emergency use of the AED; and
electronically transmitting at least selected portions of the defibrillator incident information from the emergency services interface directly or indirectly to the PSAP, the PSAP being located remotely relative to the ESI and being responsible for handling calls to emergency services originating from an area that includes a current location of the AED, wherein the selected defibrillator incident information is forwarded to the PSAP in real time during the emergency use of the AED such that the selected defibrillator incident information can be utilized in real time by the telecommunicator to provide directions to a caregiver utilizing the AED or a caller at the location of the AED during the emergency use of the AED.
20. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein the emergency services interface processes at least some of the defibrillator incident information received from the AED and at least some of the selected defibrillator incident information transmitted to the PSAP is transmitted in a different format than such defibrillator incident information was received in.
21. A method as recited in claim 19 further comprising displaying at least some of the selected defibrillator incident information on a display at the PSAP for use by the telecommunicator in real time while communicating with the caregiver or caller.
22. A method as recited in claim 21 further comprising the telecommunicator utilizing the selected defibrillator incident information to provide directions to the caregiver or caller during the emergency use of the AED.
23. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein the selected defibrillator incident information includes a current instruction state of the AED.