CbusineZ Invests in Data Science System to Improve Ambulance Response Times

CbusineZ, the innovation and investment company of CZ, is participating in a venture that has developed a system using data science to significantly improve ambulance response times. Research shows that in several regions, ambulance response times are increasing significantly, which is a concerning development. Factors such as staff shortages and insufficient insight into the distribution and availability of resources play a role in this. Using historical data, the system can make better demand predictions and provides better insight into the deployability of vehicles. This allows for much more effective use of available capacity. Survival chances increase, and a faster response also leads to shorter healing and recovery periods. CbusineZ aims to work towards nationwide implementation of the system

Rogier van der Hooft, Board Member of CbusineZ: "As a solution for the long response times, the first thought is often to buy more ambulances. Apart from the investment in the ambulance, the necessary specialized personnel is also hard to find. We think it is therefore even more urgent to first see if the current capacity can be better utilized, and we know that this system can help with that. We would like to contribute to this."

How Does It Work?

The system was developed by TimeLab, which originated from a research project at Delft University of Technology and the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica. This project aimed to develop algorithms for dynamic ambulance management to improve the performance of the ambulance system. The system has already been purchased by four Regional Ambulance Services. Vincent van den Brekel, Director of TimeLab, states that the results in those safety regions are very positive. He further explains that a lot of time was spent on properly tuning the algorithm. In daily management of the response system, there are always regional elements that must be included in the algorithm. In one region, you do not want results to vary greatly by municipality, or you need to consider open bridges when relocating vehicles, and you do not want too many relocations at once, etc. Making a good prediction of the demand per subarea based on historical data is only 'step 1'. The readiness of the ambulance service is highly dependent on the intensity of demand at certain times and also the location of the vehicle. The 15-minute reach of a vehicle in a city center, for example, is less than that of the same vehicle outside the center. "The system is actually comparable to a chess computer. We keep calculating the optimal move (location), anticipating the opponent's move (the upcoming - still unknown - incident) and the status of our own pieces. A chess grandmaster can never calculate that fast, and thus the dispatcher has a much better tool to optimally deploy his available resources," says Van den Brekel.

The System Assists the Dispatcher

The dispatcher in the control room has three tasks: assessing urgency and sending the right vehicle, supporting the person making the call, and allocating ambulances across a region so that future incidents can be responded to as quickly as possible. A safety region has various stations, and the dispatcher tells the driver where to go. In practice, not every dispatcher has the same sense and experience with this, but especially in times of resource scarcity or in a more complex region, this system has a lot of added value. The dispatcher can do his job better, and the patient's well-being improves as a result of the faster emergency response. Gijs Roest, Director of the Flevoland, Gooi & Vecht region: "Our performance is leading, and TimeLab has contributed to this. We have been working with TimeLab for several years, and the added value is now widely shared within the organization."