Strengthening tele-emergency medicine in Bern

Thomas Sauter, emergency physician and Assistant Professor at the University Emergency Centre, Inselspital Bern, researches evidence-based applications of digital tools in acute medicine. His TCS Endowed Professorship is being extended by two years.

Text: Liselotte Selter

Read the original uniAKTUELL article here (in German).

In a world where digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, “augmented reality” and virtual avatars are increasingly becoming part of our everyday lives, acute medicine is also taking on new forms. Tele-emergency medicine researches modern technologies and their application in the treatment of emergency patients and in the training of healthcare professionals, from medical studies through to continuing education.

Digital communication and transmission systems are two examples of areas of activity in tele-emergency medicine. They enable mobile monitoring, recording and processing of patient data, and thus faster and safer treatment of emergency patients. This can ensure round-the-clock care regardless of location. Artificial intelligence can help to evaluate data from mobile sensors and support healthcare professionals in their decision-making. This ensures better quality and greater availability of acute medicine.

Tele-emergency medicine also researches the use of so-called “Medical Extended Reality (MXR)” in patient treatment. The aim is to use technical aids to push the boundaries of what is possible in medical practice and training, enabling better learning and understanding through immersive and interactive experiences. For example, MXR can be integrated into pain therapy or used to support the care of severely injured patients. It also holds promising potential in the training of nurses, paramedics and medical professionals.

For healthcare professionals to be able to use digital technologies effectively and reliably, it is important that these technologies are applied on a sound scientific basis. The Endowed Professorship in Tele-Emergency Medicine plays a key role in creating this scientific foundation. It was established at the University of Bern thanks to the support of the Touring Club Switzerland (TCS) and is one of the first of its kind in the German-speaking world. It is based at the Department of Emergency Medicine (UKN) of Bern University Hospital.

Thomas Sauter has held the professorship since 1 December 2020. The Assistant Professor of Tele-Emergency Medicine researches how digital technologies are used by healthcare professionals and patients and how they can be integrated into their everyday lives. Sauter has succeeded in acquiring various national and international third-party funded projects and has thus built up an interdisciplinary research team of physicians, psychologists and nurses.

In addition to researching and further developing the evidence-based use of new technologies in acute medicine, Sauter is particularly committed to education and training in the field of digitalisation: “We are committed to ensuring that healthcare professionals in all areas of medicine can learn about and practise the opportunities, risks and applications of digital technologies. This ensures that they can successfully use digital technologies in the treatment of acute situations.”

Originally planned for four years, the TCS Endowed Professorship is now being extended by a further two years from 1 December 2024: “We are delighted that the TCS is stepping up its commitment in this field and thus continuing to enable forward-looking research,” says Heinz Karrer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UniBE Foundation. This extension not only enables the further development of life-saving digital technologies and their application in everyday clinical practice, but also makes an important contribution to securing emergency care throughout Switzerland. This is becoming increasingly important in view of an ageing population and the worsening shortage of medical professionals.

Watch here to find out what Thomas Sauter is researching. The UniBE Foundation’s Science Speed Dating video series highlights researchers and their visions in a short video format.