NAS Leadership Assesses Digital System to Strengthen Emergency Referrals, Address ‘No Bed Syndrome’
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service (NAS), Dr. (Med) George Kojo Owusu, together with the Deputy CEO, Dr Patrick Inkoom-Colbelson, members of management and staff of the Service, has paid a working visit to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) to assess the operations of the Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System (IBMRCS) ahead of its rollout.
The visit is part of ongoing efforts to familiarise NAS leadership with the digital platform’s functionality and its potential to transform emergency referral coordination and strengthen collaboration between emergency response agencies and healthcare facilities.
During the engagement, Mr Jeffery Anyakpah delivered a detailed presentation and practical demonstration of the system, explaining how the platform will facilitate real-time monitoring and coordination of hospital bed availability, facility capacity, and specialised services.
The IBMRCS is designed to address the longstanding challenge of “No Bed Syndrome” by providing emergency dispatch personnel with accurate and up-to-date information on available beds and services at participating health facilities.
A key feature of the system is the deployment of designated personnel at health facilities to update bed occupancy and service availability in real time.
This will enable Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and dispatch personnel to verify the availability of appropriate beds before transporting patients to receiving facilities.
By providing reliable information before patient movement, the system is expected to reduce unnecessary delays and help prevent situations where ambulances have to move from one hospital to another in search of an available bed.
The initiative brings together key health institutions, including the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), and the National Ambulance Service, under a coordinated digital platform.
The ongoing Train-the-Trainer programme is also supporting the preparation of personnel who will help drive the implementation and effective use of the system across participating facilities.
The visit provided NAS leadership with the opportunity to witness firsthand the capabilities of the IBMRCS and appreciate its role in improving patient transfer coordination, reducing referral delays and supporting more informed emergency care decisions.
The rollout of the system represents another important step in the continued efforts of the National Ambulance Service and its healthcare partners to strengthen Ghana’s emergency medical referral system and ensure that patients receive timely access to appropriate care.
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