Abstract
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries, including Thailand, have enhanced their
preparedness for emerging infectious diseases by developing new models, mechanisms, processes, and best
practices for high-quality emergency medical service (EMS) systems. However, most ambulances currently
in use in Thailand have not been structurally designed to ensure sufficient safety for both patients and
medical personnel during emergency operations. In the event of a severe accident that compromises the
ambulance structure, there is a high risk of serious injury or fatality among occupants. Although the frequency
of such incidents is relatively low, their severity results in significant losses, including the lives of skilled
medical professionals and patients. Moreover, the current emergency notification and Tele-EMS systems
still face multiple practical limitations in incident reporting, case monitoring, and physician supervision.
To address these challenges comprehensively, this project aims to develop an advanced
prototype of an emergency medical service vehicle equipped to handle emerging infectious diseases,
through the integration of three key technology platforms:
(1) Structural and equipment-mounting technology platform, ensuring that the ambulance
body and medical equipment mounts meet international safety standards—AMD Standard
001 (Ambulance body structure static load test), SAE J3057 (Ambulance modular body
evaluation—quasi-static loading), and EN 1789 (Medical vehicles and their equipment).
(2) Air-management technology platform, providing negative-pressure systems and patient
isolation equipment compliant with ISO 14644 standards, to prevent airborne transmission
of infectious diseases.
(3) Digital emergency communication platform, enhancing the efficiency of incident reporting,
data recording (via body cameras, in-vehicle cameras, and vital-sign devices), and digital
prehospital care documentation (Prehospital Care Record Form).
The prototype vehicle was developed and tested using structural simulation and bench testing in
collaboration with the Thailand Automotive Institute. Field testing of the integrated technology platforms
was conducted by the Emergency Medicine Operation Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital,
Mahidol University.
The implementation benefited over 630 patients through improved emergency response and
treatment processes. In addition, the project produced operational guidelines and a cost-structure
framework submitted to the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) to support the future
expansion of these technology platforms to provincial local administrative organizations. This initiative
contributes to the establishment of a National Telehealth Platform, integrated with the Ministry of Public
Health’s Health Data Lake, to strengthen Thailand’s digital health infrastructure and enhance readiness for
future Tele-EMS operations.
