Detecting Strokes Earlier

After three years of research and development, the federally funded innovation project “RettungsNetz-5G” has reached its conclusion. The project’s centerpiece was the design of a mobile stroke unit—a specialized emergency vehicle equipped with a built-in CT scanner, enabling faster on-site diagnostics. This unit makes it possible to perform a CT scan of the brain directly at the scene of an emergency, significantly reducing the time to diagnosis—a critical factor in saving lives.

Aside from the Institute for Enterprise Systems (InES) at the University of Mannheim, the project partners included the University Medical Center Mannheim, the German Red Cross, Siemens Healthineers, FREYTAG Karosseriebau, Verband Region Rhein-Neckar, Smart Reporting GmbH, and the Mannheim Integrated Emergency Dispatch Center.

“This project is a great example of what’s possible when applied medical research and information systems come together—and how those innovations can make a real difference in people’s lives,” says Armin Heinzl, InES director and Chair of General Management and Information Systems.

AI-powered stroke recognition

InES contributed to the project through scientific research and analysis, focusing on team collaboration and the use of AI systems for automated stroke detection in emergency calls. The research explored how AI-driven systems can improve group decision-making and response quality while analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence on human teamwork. “AI-powered digital assistants will soon help emergency dispatchers accurately assess incoming calls and, when necessary, recommend deploying the new mobile stroke unit,” says Christian Bartelt, InES managing director and project lead for “RettungsNetz-5G.”