Among the many medical and health technologies that we cover on Health Tech Insider, the devices that assist professional or citizen responders at emergency sites may be the most dramatic. In the past, we’ve written about emergency defibrillator locators, smart first aid kits for emergency bystanders, disaster drones that deliver emergency telemedicine packages, and even a connected helmet light that calls emergency services.
Israel-based Inovytec recently introduced SALI. SALI is a critical aid system for respiratory and cardiac emergencies. Intended for use on the scene of an accident, SALI packs a surprisingly comprehensive array of technologies and devices in a single package. A bystander can follow clearly presented audiovisual prompts to use the system, including noninvasive airway management, automated external defibrillation, oxygen management, breath rate monitoring, blood oxygen saturation and heart rate tracking, ECG monitoring, and telecommunication with Emergency Response staff.
The SALI kit is backed by a suite of cloud applications, including 24/7 emergency center staffing, event location, contact management, and real-time patient condition analysis. The SALI system bundles the technologies, communications, and cloud systems to create a virtual hospital environment on the scene to increase the effectiveness of eventual medical treatment and improve patient outcomes.
I’ve had group AED training twice in the last 10 years, both presented by first responders and the people who train them. In each case, I left impressed by the technology but overwhelmed by the details of actually using the equipment in an emergency. When I watched the SALI demonstration video, I was impressed by how little it depends on what the bystander knows or remembers. I found the instructions of when and how to use the various SALI systems easy to understand, easy to follow, and confidence-building, even though I only watched a video simulation.
