Either side of the road from the airport to a multi-super specialty hospital was completely blocked and the police are redirecting all the vehicles to another lane. The traffic was unbearable while the other road it deserted without even a single vehicle.

People who stuck in traffic were throwing tantrums on the police and on the politicians. After a 15 or 20 minutes later, a speeding ambulance has disappeared in no time reminding the bystanders of the infamous Formula 1 cars. The ambulance was carrying an organ that was meant to be transported to the hospital as fast as it could.

You are mistaken if you think it is a movie scene or a fictitious story. It happened in Chennai in the year 2016 and the carried organ was a heart. This one incident is enough to understand the importance of ambulances in organ transportation. However, there is a significant need to setup a mechanism that increases the coordination between the organ banks and the ambulance transportation  systems.     

Organ procurement can be considered as the greatest feat in medical history. Timely procurement and transplantation can save the life. The procured organ transportation is conducted in a predefined procedure.

The role of emergency and non-emergency medical transportation in saving the lives does not need any introduction as everyone aware of the significance of ambulances in the healthcare system. The ambulance is the first thing that comes into the mind for everyone after witnessing an emergency medical situation.

1. Technological Advances in Ambulance Transportation

• Leveraging the advanced technology the modern ambulances are employing the modern methodologies in preserving and transporting the organs.
• The preservative methods have seen many advancements over the last decade. Special cubical that could be transported easily are evolved at a great pace.
• They are easy to carry and protect the organ in every way till it is safely implanted to the intended patient.
• These boxes employ resistance to the abrasion or impact. They also ensure the hypothermic preservation of the organs.

2. The Importance of Coordination Between the Organ Bank-Ambulance-Hospital

• The organ transportation from the bank to the hospital is different from the regular emergency medical transportation.
• The emergency transportation may be unexpected but the individual can be transported to the nearest hospital.
• However, organ donation is destined from a particular location to the hospital. Even though the transportation is planned most of the times, it is not the case always.
• There will be a few instances where the organ is required instantly. This is when the coordination between the organ bank, the transportation system and the hospital.
• Day by day the challenges in the transportation are being resolved and new challenges are popping up.

3. The Role of the Ambulances

• Gone were the days where the receiver had to undergo the transplantation only in the hospital or near the organ bank where the organ has been procured.
• The advanced medical transportation these days are allowing the donors to receive the organs in their own stations.
• There are many instances of organ safe transportation from place to another place, using the services of the specially designed ambulances. Organ donation is a noble act and the ambulances play their part in this noble act by being the liaison between the donor and the receiver.

There are millions of people who are expecting the organs and there is an increase in the number of people who are enlisting to donate their organs which is a great sign. In order to maintain the momentum, the ambulances too should get ready to play their part in saving lives.