MobiMedic: First Aid On Your Phone

Downloadable data to deal with medical emergencies

How well would you cope in a medical emergency? We all understand how important it is to act quickly, but how many of us actually could? Well, help is at hand as vital first aid advice is now available via your mobile phone with MobiMedic, an interactive service that downloads data directly to the user's mobile. The concept has proved so successful that a version of MobiMedic called Mobi-First-Aid is already being sold by the British Red Cross.

A sudden medical emergency can happen anywhere - in the street, at work or when visiting some far-flung location. Being some time from access to professional medical support when the worst happens can frightening, so it is worth being prepared.

Whether it's an accident such a serious cut or burn, or the sudden onset of a heart attack or severe allergic reaction, taking the right action in the all-important first few minutes can quite literally mean the difference between life and death. And while statistics show that as many as 95 per cent of people have little or no practical first aid training, most of us do now have access to a mobile phone, and because you carry it around with you, it is an ideal way to improve your skills.

MobiMedic uses the same Java technology used for games on the latest generation of mobiles. A mix of visuals, text and interactive prompts takes users through standard first aid procedures, using their input to advise what action should be taken next. Downloading the guide and working through the scenarios is an easy way to learn the first aid techniques, covering the 21 most common first aid situations, based on official statistics.

The emergencies covered by MobiMedic range from dealing with a choking victim to serious cuts, burns, broken bones, asthma and allergy attacks and poisoning.

All the content is taken Government guidelines on first aid, and has been checked and verified by the Health & Safety Executive. The downloaded information is stored permanently on the phone, making it available to users whether or not the phone is within signal range. Users can also regularly update the data held on their phone to ensure that they have access to the latest advice.

Very much a Scottish success story, MobiMedic is the brainchild of a group of graduates of Dundee University, who spent three years developing the technology. The creators have brought it to the market in partnership with MediScot, the online, NHS-approved supplier of medical equipment.

Charlotte Hall, the British Red Cross First aid Products Manager, says: " A little first aid knowledge can make all the difference in an emergency. Just knowing how to keep an airway open can save lives. "The fact that the information is always with you means you can access the information whether you are in signal range or not - even in the wilds of Scotland or the Australian outback!" ? The British Red Cross is committed to making first aid learning as accessible as possible and Mobi-First-Aid fits the bill perfectly. Mobi-first-aid not only means people can learn vital skills wherever and whenever they wish, but it also raises money for the charity.

Fact: accidents do happen
Fact: they do not choose who or where
Fact: most accidents happen in the home
Fact: the majority of people worldwide have no knowledge of basic first aid

Jim Withers, from Medi-Scot, the company behind the concept, says: "First and foremost MobiMedic is a reference and learning tool to help people educate themselves about first aid. However, the flexibility of the technology means that it is also there with you if you do indeed need to respond to an emergency".

The technology used to create MobiMedic also has a wide range of other applications

To find out more about this innovative application MobiMedic or Mobi-first-aid all you have to do is visit one of the following websites and follow the on-screen instructions www.genmedical.com www.medi-scot.co.uk www.redcross.org.uk

i. MobiMedic can be installed onto most modern java compatible phones.

ii. The 21 most common first aid topics, according to official UK statistics, are covered by MobiMedic, including:

Emergencies - action to take when faced with an emergency situation

Heart Attacks - advice and procedures for helping heart attack victims

Burns - what to do and what not to do when dealing with all burns

Bleeding - the procedure for confronting severe bleeding

Asthma Attacks - advice and procedures for helping asthma attack victims

Unconsciousness - what to do when faced with an unconscious casualty

The Recovery Position - how to place a casualty in the recovery position

Animal Bites - dealing with animal bites and wounds

Choking - action to take when a casualty is choking

Bee/Wasp Stings - tips for responding to bee or wasp stings

Sunburn - how to ease suffering of sunburn

Head Injuries - action and procedure for dealing with dangerous head injuries

Eye Injuries - what to do in the event of an eye wound

Shock - advice for treating casualties suffering from shock

Resuscitation - the procedure for breathing for casualties to resuscitate

Convulsions - how to react when a casualty is suffering from a convulsion

Broken Bones - dealing with broken bones

Poisons - covers swallowed poisons and poisons on the skin

Assessing Casualties - the procedure for assessing and dealing with a casualty

Allergies - how to help ease a casualties allergic reaction

Back Injuries - dealing with potentially dangerous back/spinal and neck injuries