Ambulance innovator wins the Sophus Falck Medal of Honour

Emergency Medical Technician Anders Bruun Rasmussen has won the award for developing an advanced app to help ambulance staff get to the closest hospital with the most appropriate specialist care

The 3^rd of October is the birthday of Falck as a company and on this day fire officers, paramedics, service assistants or other Falck employees around the world are being rewarded with the founding father of Falck Sophus Falcks award for heroic, resolute and resourceful contributions to save lives or limit injuries while on or off duty. This year for the first time, it has also been possible to be awarded for an innovative and creative idea.

“I am really happy to present this award to Anders Bruun Rasmussen. Saving and improving lives is a natural part of Falck and its employees. It runs in our blood and is a part of our legacy. Innovation is an important part of our future, and I am therefore pleased to award an idea, that will save and improve lives by working smarter,” says Falck CEO, Jakob Riis.

The Sophus Falck Award goes to one of Falck’s Danish Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), Anders Bruun Rasmussen. He created an app to help ambulance staff quickly decide where to transport patients by matching the type of emergency to the closest hospital with the most appropriate specialist care.

Making the job easier
He got the idea for the app whilst on a shift in the Falck Ambulance. The previous process was often a big frustration. When the ambulance crew had to decide which hospital, a patient should be transported to, they had to go through a 17-page document that was often so complicated that they had to call the dispatch central for guidance.

“It has been a really interesting experience working together with one of our partners to develop a solution that benefits everyone. During the process Falck was very flexible and helpful in letting me take the time necessary to contribute to the development of the app,” Anders Bruun Rasmussen explains.

He presented his idea to the Pre-hospital Centre, where they developed the joint "AKUT" app, now available to all EMT’s, paramedics and doctors in the region - and ready to roll out throughout the country.

“Anders has done great job to make the job easier for himself and his ambulance colleagues. It can heighten our efficiency, and it shows that Falck is an ambulance company for the future. I hope this award will motivate others to present their ideas,” says Jakob Riis.

“I will also like to congratulate all the other winners of the Sophus Falck Medal of Honour. They do an amazing job and make us all proud.”

25 Falck employees from around the world has been awarded the Medal of Honour carrying the name of the founder.

The full list of winners
Harriet Møller Johansen, EMT, Denmark
Kenneth Jungvig, paramedic, Denmark
Birger Noes Mundbjerg, EMT, Denmark
Anders Bruun Rasmussen, EMT, Denmark
Anna Otterborg, ambulance nurse, Sweden
Ramazan “Rami” Uludag, paramedic, Sweden
Fatih Kasap, service technician, Denmark
Morten Frem Andersen, service technician, Denmark
Christian Akim Danielsen, paramedic, Denmark
Karsten Jensen, EMT, Denmark
Vibeke Tjørnager Jakobsen, office assistant, Denmark
Marco Struve, EMT, Germany
Cennet Urut, EMT, Germany
Marek Šichman, paramedic, Slovakia
Miroslav Šimaliak, driver, Slovakia
Veronika Kubicoá, student, Slovakia
Glen Waretini, acting fire chief, Australia
Jason Porter, fire officer, Australia
Joshua Nightingale, fire officer, Australia
Allan Strøm Vestergaard, fire officer, Denmark
Frank Larsen, fire officer, Denmark
Kim Grøn Hansen, fire officer, Denmark
Lars Bratbjerg Hvistendahl, fire officer, Denmark
Morten Due Søndergaard, fire officer, Denmark
Torben Faurbye, fire officer, Denmark