Challenge
In the Netherlands an ambulance is expected to arrive at the emergency scene within 15 minutes after the emergency call. In 7% of all instances, however, the ambulance arrives too late. As a result, an estimated number of 35,000 patients per year do not receive proper care in time. This has a massive impact on the mortality and morbidity of these patients. Two facts account for more than half of these late arrivals. First, dispatchers of the call centre cannot predict future demand. Second, the complexity of scheduling ambulance availability as well as the likelihood of all nearby resources being occupied at the time of an emergency call.
Opportunity
1,15 million ambulance dispatches occur each year in The Netherlands. This leads to €450 million in costs. The market potential for emergency call centres in The Netherlands (which is the first niche that will be targeted) for Stokhos is between €2,3 million and €4,2 million. This market shows a growth of 5,4% per year, and even 8.1% growth for life-threatening situations.
Solution
Stokhos Emergency Mathematics is a software solution which enables the proactive relocation of ambulances based on predictions of future demand. Stokhos provides a tool to reach at least 95% of all high emergency call locations within 15 minutes as compared to the current 93%. The tool aims to reduce the percentage of late arrivals of ambulances within the Netherlands by 50% or a reduction of 17,500 late arrivals and as a result improve on morbidity and mortality expectations for these patients.
Status
An entrepreneurial manager was attracted, as well as €250,000 funding was secured. Currently, Stokhos is in the process of signing several customers on first assignments between €10,000 and €50,000.
Meet the team
Vincent van den Brekel
CEO
Roland Zegger
NLC Venture Partner
Roland joined NLC in March 2015. He is a trained pharmacist, has worked in several pharmaceutical companies, and has broad experience in marketing and sales functions as well as general management. As Venture Partner, Roland focuses on building innovative companies and strengthening NLC’s abilities to bring innovations to healthcare.
Prof. Dr. Rob van der Mei
Inventor
Martin van Buuren
Inventor