Introducing iTRACC 2.0
Supporting trauma, retrieval and critical care across NSW
The ACI’s Institute of Trauma and Injury Management (ITIM) has launched iTRACC, a new web-based information system supporting trauma, retrieval and critical care across NSW.
iTRACC acts as a central repository for multiple critical care databases placed on live Google mapping. It is a bit like a sophisticated store locator, but for critical care services and assets.
iTRACC has superseded its earlier version, Blood Search.
What can it do?
iTRACC provides a critical care profile of services and assets available across NSW public hospitals. For example, users can search for blood products, antivenom, antidotes and lifesaving drugs, interventional cardiology services, trauma services, radiology services, stroke services and much more.
It also provides road, helicopter and fixed wing times and distances from a location (i.e. where a patient is) to the service (e.g. stroke service) or asset (e.g. brown snake antivenom).
Who can access iTRACC?
iTRACC was developed in response to a demand for a statewide overview of critical care assets and service provision with logistical functions. The primary purpose is to support high-level decision makers in the management of critically ill or injured patients.
Currently, only groups responsible for providing high-level critical care advice within the NSW health care system can access iTRACC. This includes the Aeromedical Control Centre (NSW Ambulance), Poisons Information Centre, critical care advisory services and telestroke clinicians.
If you work in these areas, access is granted using an assigned username and password, which is currently administered by the ACI’s Institute or Trauma and Injury Management.
Please contact ACI-Info.ITIM@health.nsw.gov.au for access.
Case study: iTRACC in action
A young boy was accidentally shot in a rural property in central western NSW. He was bleeding to death from the injuries he sustained.
A 000 call was made and came to the attention of the Aeromedical Control Centre (ACC) who are responsible for dispatching NSW medical helicopters.
The ACC used iTRACC to geolocate the accident scene and filter for the closest helicopter base with the flight time and distance. A helicopter in Orange was closest, and a medical team was dispatched. Another team from Sydney was also dispatched.
Knowing the patient had critical bleeding, the ACC activated the prehospital massive transfusion procedure. This involved using iTRACC to locate the closest blood supply and sourcing the direct blood bank phone number. Blood products were released and expedited by NSW police highway patrol to the medical helicopter crew.
iTRACC was also used to locate the closest paediatric trauma centre the patient was taken to. The patient received 18 units of blood product before arriving to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He survived and is now back a school.
Without iTRACC providing vital information to key coordinating and operational staff, it is unlikely the outcome would have been so positive.
The future of iTRACC
ACI plans to migrate iTRACC to a secure and permanent platform, with governance to be defined as a priority.
We are planning to incorporate real-time data (e.g. blood and intensive care beds) and expand the data sets in the near future.
Acknowledgements
ITIM would like to thank those who support the iTRACC project with the provision of data, including:
- NSW Ambulance
- NSW and Victoria Therapeutic Advisory Group
- NSW Health Pathology
- ACI Stroke, Cardiac, Spinal and Burns Networks and Intensive Care NSW.