Israeli Device Helps First Responders Determine Patients’ Condition

November 12, 2018

In cases of natural disasters or mass-casualty incidents, first responders must decide who among the casualties is in mortal danger, needing immediate medical care, and who needs less urgent treatment. A clear diagnosis is crucial. Israeli medtech startup CardioScale has developed a portable sensor that can be used to check vital cardiovascular data in seconds and determine the patient’s actual condition. Based on this data, the urgency of treatment for each patient can be determined.

“In emergency medical situations, every minute that passes significantly reduces the chance of success in saving the patient. The difference between life and death is usually based on the medical team in the field, who need to make quick and effective decisions based on their experience,” says Tomer Epstein from the Israeli Export Institute.

CardioScale creator, Dr. Uri Gabbay, a family physician and disease researcher, thought the cardiovascular system should be examined as an engineering control system. He turned to Prof. Ben-Zion Bobrovsky from Tel Aviv University [for assistance]. In 2012, they established CardioScale together with Maoz Ben Ari, CEO of CardioScale.

“Our index and the devices that operate it measure how much ‘reserves’ a person has to function and whether he/she needs immediate care,” says Ben Ari. “It measures the change in the patient’s condition, either improving or deteriorating.”

The device is similar to a blood pressure test and measures breathing, pulse, blood pressure, saturation, CO2 and the patent-protected CardioVascular Reserve Index.

The device does not require medical skill [to operate] and increases the ability to save more people in the field.

“By the end of the year we will supply the army with the first batch of 40 devices manufactured in Israel. At a later stage, we will provide devices to the US Department of Defense,” says Ben Ari.

Source: Excerpt from an article by Liat Zand, Ynetnews

Photo Credit: www.idf.il