Month: January 2021

Inspecting the RSV Mobile Stroke Unit

January 28, 2021

RMA Special Vehicles have developed a state-of-the-art Mobile Stroke Unit, one of three on order for Sirarj Hospital.

Thailand records about 50,000 deaths a year from stroke. Caused by an abrupt blockage of arteries leading to the brain, strokes are unpredictable, and their severity cannot always be ascertained at first glance. It is imperative that the patient receives medical attention as quickly as possible.

Jointly designed and engineered by RMA Automotive and Mahidol University, the Mobile Stroke Unit enables doctors to treat a stroke patient during the time critical window while transferring them to hospital. The Mobile Stroke Unit is fitted with a CT scanner, monitors and connections that link it to Siriraj Hospital, allowing neurologists immediately to begin attending to the patient.   

Conceptualized by Siriraj Hospital, the objective of the collaboration between RMA Special Vehicles and Mahidol University was to create a new Mobile Stroke Unit that is better than the existing one in service. The vehicle had to be lighter, safer and more agile on the road. It had to be cleaner too and so for instance, battery  powered  generators were installed instead of polluting Diesel generators.

Development, planning and manufacture was done at the RMA Automotive Assembly and Distribution Center in Laem Chabang, Thailand. Led by engineering and product development team Wallop Sakulimsap,  Wichai  Jaiboon  and  Sureeporn  Nuchitprasittichai,  RMAA  engineers  designed  and  built  the  new  vehicle  from  the  ground  up,  paying  special  attention  to  the  use  of  light-weight  materials  to  keep  the  overall vehicle mass down.

In so doing the Mobile Stroke Unit retains the performance  and  handling  it  was  designed  with,  allowing  it nimbly  to cut  through traffic. A  front  engine  mounted  Mercedes-Benz  Sprinter  was  chosen,  so that more  weight could be placed over the rear axle. Besides the heavy medical equipment, the Medical Stroke Unit contains an examination area, shelving  and  storage. An insulated partition behind the driver’s cabin separates the medical practitioners from the patient area.

Further  weight  savings  were  achieved using a state-of-the-art  self-lifting stretcher in place of a hydraulic operated fitted stretcher hoist. The  first  Mobile  Stroke  Unit  was delivered to Siriraj  Hospital  in  September 2020, with a further two more units in production.

RMA Automotive Delivers Mobile Stroke Unit to Siriraj Hospital

January 20, 2021
Mobile Stroke Unit - special vehicles

Bangkok, Thursday Septemer 24th, 2020 – RMA Automotive presented a state-of-the-art MobileStroke Unit to Siriraj Hospital at a handover ceremony in the hospital grounds.

Jointly designed and engineered by RMA Automotive (RMAA) and Mahidol University, the Mobile Stroke Unit enables doctors to treat a patient during the time critical window while transferring them to the hospital.

Siriraj Hospital liaising with Mahidol University, conceptualized the Stroke Recovery Vehicle to treat patients during their transfer to hospital, thereby increasing their recovery chances by 99%.

The vehicle is equipped with a CT scanner, monitors and connections to link the attendant doctors to the specialists at Siriraj Hospital; an examination area, shelving and storage, and an insulated cabin between the driver and patient area for medical practitioners. It uses clean and quiet battery packs instead of Diesel generators found in other similar vehicles.

Kevin Whitcraft, RMA Group CEO, attending the handover ceremony stated, “We are extremely proud of having developed this unique life saving vehicle. This was made possible by the close co-operation between our engineers at RMA Automotive and the doctors and specialists from Siriraj Hospital and Mahidol University.”

Development, planning and manufacture was done at RMA Automotive’s Assembly and Distribution Center in Laem Chabang, Thailand. Led by engineering and product development team Wallop Sakulimsap, Wichai Jaiboon and Sureeporn Nuchitprasittichai, the RMAA engineers designed and built the vehicle from the ground up, paying special attention to the use of light weight materials to keep the overall vehicle mass down. Thus the Mobile Stroke Unit retains the performance and handling it was designed with, allowing it to nimbly cut through traffic on route to hospital.

Stanley Chan, General Manager Group Product Development at RMAA points out “we placed much emphasis on weight distribution so as not to interfere with the vehicle’s safe handling and performance. Using a front mounted engine Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, more weight could be placed over the rear axle to accommodate the heavy medical equipment, the patient and medical attendants.”

Further weight savings were achieved using a state of the art self-lifting stretcher developed by Ferno, in place of a hydraulic operated built in stretcher hoist.

The first Mobile Stroke Unit will be deployed by Siriraj Hospital immediately with another two more units on order.