Mobile Medical Units: Here’s What You Should Know

A mobile medical unit is a medical team that travels outside the hospital with equipment to provide care in the field (at home, in the street). It is “the hospital who comes to the victim” and not “the victim who comes to the hospital”. It is also sometimes referred to as a Mobile Intensive Care Unit.

A mobile medical unit is usually transported by an ambulance and has diagnostic and treatment equipment (including drugs). Its crew consists of at least a doctor and a nurse, in addition to the pilot. A mobile medical unit is a vehicle armed by a mobile emergency and resuscitation service.

A mobile medical unit can be:

• an ambulance equipped with all the equipment and drugs to an engagement load on-site of a victim and transport;
• a station wagon type car (radio-medical vehicle, VRM, or light medical vehicle, VLM), with the same medical equipment; the transport is then carried out in a private ambulance or a rescue and assistance vehicle for the victims of the firefighters; the private ambulance or the VSAV becomes de facto a UMH;
• a helicopter, either dedicated to medical missions or in which the conditioned material is loaded.

The mobile medical unit can have two roles:

• bringing a medical team and its equipment to the site of an accident or illness, it is the “hospital that comes to the victim” ( stay and play, the patient is treated on-site before transporting him, or play and run, the patient is stabilized to allow emergency evacuation); the mobile medical unit can then ensure the transport of the victim to a hospital (“primary” transport);
• transporting a patient requiring care between two care structures (so-called “secondary” transport).

The interventions of the mobile medical unit are carried out under the regulation of the same.

The crew of mobile medical units is legally composed of an emergency doctor, a nurse, and an ambulance driver.

However, for situations that do not require the presence of a doctor (especially for certain secondary transport), a mobile medical unit may have a staff reduced to a nurse and an ambulance driver.

There are no two solutions: technological developments in healthcare have saved countless patients and are constantly improving our quality of life.

Additionally, technology in the medical field has had a massive impact on almost all processes and practices of healthcare professionals.

The Benefits Of Using Other Mobile Equipment

Whether it’s accessing a patient’s EHR, reviewing a patient’s medical history, writing follow-up emails, or sending prescriptions to pharmacies, smartphones allow practitioners to perform tasks from almost worldwide.

Improved communication facilitates the role of medical billers, allowing them to send SMS alerts on outstanding payment schedules and invoices. Mobile communication can also reduce postal mail, paper use, and unnecessary time spent on the phone.

The Disadvantages Of Mobility

Even with the most advanced technology, human error cannot be completely erased. Mobile devices can easily be lost or stolen, and they are also vulnerable to hacking, malware, and viruses (especially if the devices are used over insecure internet connections).

Digitization Of Health Records

Electronic health records (EHRs), which replace outdated paper records, have been a game-changer for everyone in the medical world. Medical assistants, medical coding professionals, and registered nurses are just a few of the roles that have been impacted by this industry-wide implementation.

Nurses and technicians are responsible for entering patient data into a central digital system. Billers and medical coders update patient charts with diagnostic codes (such as test results) and submit claims to insurance companies.

Not only can patients access their records at the click of a button, but it also makes it easier to spot errors (without having to go over unreadable doctors’ handwriting).

About The Author:

Jhon Issac: I am a vast health content writer. I love exploring different topics in the health industry. Sharing information about crucial subjects, enlightening people across several platforms is my satisfaction. I hope to help people get a cure for their health condition by reading my articles.