vSkySamu transformed SAMU consortiums in Minas Gerais into a nation-wide reference.

Intermunicipal Health Consortiums of the Emergency Network implemented in Minas Gerais around eight years ago, has become a model of reference and success in the country thanks to the planning of a system that enables for a quick and secure communication between medical regulation centrals and the teams that carry out the service to the population.

With the goal to bring emergency response services to all counties in the state, and inspired by a French model, Minas Gerais created SAMU regional consortiums, where the service in various counties is managed by a regional regulation center.

However, for this project to work, it was necessary to choose a system that enabled an efficient, quick and secure communication in vast and mountainous areas where, most of the time, there is no cellular or radio coverage.

The Solution

AAfter several studies, it was identified that the best model was satellite communication, which enable coverage in remote areas. Velp, after winning the bidding process, implemented in 2012 this system, vSkySAMU, which has been evolving throughout the years.

The solution enables the communication between the central station and service teams anywhere, combining 3G/GPRS technologies and state-of-the-art geostationary satellites.

vSkySAMU controls all the steps involved in the rescue, from receiving the call, medical regulation, actioning ambulances and patient care, to concluding the report.

For Velp’s director and person responsible for the planning of the solution, Paulo Henrique Barros, one of the distinguishing features of the system is its high availability, which is crucial for saving lives. “Satellite communication enables response teams to receive orientation from the central station in rural areas, where there is no cellular coverage, which hastens aid reaching the patient. We offer a complete solution that involves dispatch, transmission of photos and videos, filling out checklists, generates reports and much more. Because we work primarily with the data system, communication clearer, faster, and efficient. All these vSkySAMU features enabled the regional consortiums in Minas Gerais to become a nation-wide reference.”

Consortiums that utilize the system

Currently, SkySAMU covers over 600 counties. Take a look at the consortiums that use the system:

– Cisru (Intermunicipal Consortium of the South-Central Emergency Network)

– Cisnorje (Intermunicipal Health Consortium of the Northeast/Jequitinhonha Emergency Network)

– Cisdeste (Intermunicipal Health Consortium of the Southeast Region)

– Cisrun (Intermunicipal Health Consortium of the North of Minas Emergency Network)

– Cissul (Intermunicipal Health Consortium of the South of Minas Macro-region)

– Cisurg (Intermunicipal Health Consortium of the Broadened West Region)

– Cistri (Publip Intermunicipal Health Consortium of the North Triangle Macro-region)