good samaritan

GitHub issues Contributors Last Commit

Is an application that can help minimize opioid misuse related harm. As a multi-channel application it allows an at-risk-person who is close to or has overdosed and their family members to signal for help. The closest helper (trained-volunteer) receives this notification and the exact location of the person-at-risk and is able to provide quick first-aid revival using a provided Naloxone kit before the ambulance arrives.

Deployed application:
https://serene-mountain-91633.herokuapp.com/

App Demo:

Chat Functionality Demo

Facts about drug overdose fatality

1. Using drugs alone

The B.C. Coroners Service says more than 1,400 people died of an illicit drug overdose in the province in 2017, nearly 90% of them were alone inside a home when they suffered an overdose.

If the person-at-risk calls 911 via cellular devices and wasn’t able to provide an address, the chances of revival are reduced as latitude and longitude location-tracking is accurate within 50-300 meters - a 984-foot permissible radius - which entails a difficult search in high-density areas like apartment buildings and public spaces.

2. 911 response time

Canadians make 12 million calls to 911 every year. The national response time goal for paramedics in Canada is 8 minutes 59 seconds, for the most serious emergencies.

3. Reluctance to call 911

Based on the data collected from CCENDU members between 2013 and 2016, between 30% and 65% of those who witnessed an apparent overdose situation did not call 911. Among those who reported not calling 911, 47% thought the situation was controlled, 38% reported fear of the police, 10% said they had no phone.

Project Agenda

Ensure the person-at-risk is easily located
Minimize the likelihood that witnesses will refuse to call for medical help
Shorten the time it takes for the person-at-risk to receive treatment or resuscitation
Expand the circle of care by providing training to volunteers (similar to a first aid training) who can provide immediate first-aid

Project target users

1. Drug overdosed patients who are impaired to call 911, give their address and alert their contacts

Application: one-click solution for sending out help request with their pre-registered information and geolocation to paramedics and nearby volunteers, alert their contacts

2. Witnesses who are not willing to get involved except reporting

Application: One-click solution for sending out report message with the geolocation to nearby volunteers

3. Witnesses who are family or friends that seeking further help in addition to 911 emergency call

Application:

a. sending out a report message with geolocation, exact address, patients symptoms to nearby volunteers

b. providing further guidance on how to aid the patient before help arrives

c. providing in-app chat channel with the volunteers

4. Certified/ trained volunteers who are willing to help drug overdose patients nearby

Application: volunteers will receive a message with the patients’ geolocation ( and further details if provided)

Inspiration behind project

The probability of surviving a drug overdose depends, in part, on the speed with which the person receives appropriate care or emergency intervention. By reaching out to the trained volunteers nearby who can arrive and provide immediate help before paramedics arrive, we believe it can cut the patients untreated waiting period by more than half, and significantly decrease the number of fatalities or brain injuries
Most of the witness is reluctant to call 911 due to the underestimation of the situation severance. By reporting to trained volunteers nearby instead of 911, the app can increase the likelihood of the victims getting professional care.
10% of the death occurs to homeless people, who might not have a phone to call emergency and relies solely on the help of the witnesses passing by. In addition, one of the main reasons for bystanders (drug dealer for instance) not calling 911 was concern about police involvement and possible arrest. By providing one-click, no-hassle, volunteers directed reports option instead of 911, the project can increase the possibility of patients getting medical attention.

Future development

1. From web application to mobile application:

The web application is fully responsive and can be easily transformed to a mobile app for better user experience, faster online access, and more functionality. In the future, we have plans to add more functions like taking video for virtual help, tracking patients real-time location to keep their contacts informed.

2. From web application to IoT:

For patients in really bad conditions or cannot afford mobile devices to request medical help, IoT can open the door to an easier access, lower cost, and hopefully real-time body condition monitoring.

3. From web application to 911 system integration:

Currently, 911 mainly relies on paramedics, voluntary firefighters or police officers. But given the number of canadians who have firs-aid training and willing to help, after careful selection and certification, informing trained volunteers nearby by 911 might become one of the solutions to get patients immediate help.

4. Adding Nexolone to the first-aid kit

Given the number of drug overdose death increasing rapidly, it is time for Nexolone to be legally required and be added to the first-aid kit, to lift the accessibility barriers. In the future the app could also map out publicly available Naloxone kits around the city in select places like apartment buildings and school residences.