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The scoring system instantly analyses the information fed by a doctor and predicts both the severity of the injury and the probability of mortality
BHU’s Trauma Centre. (News18)
Imagine a sophisticated AI-enabled-device that could guide doctors in the crucial golden hour, telling them which patient needs urgent, life-saving medical care. At Banaras Hindu University’s Trauma Centre, this possibility has moved from imagination to practice. Over the past month, the centre has been quietly running an Artificial Intelligence-based system called the Trauma Centre BHU Scoring System (TCBHU SS)—a tool designed to triage patients and identify those who require immediate intensive care.
Developed with the help of IT professionals, the system is the first-of-its-kind in eastern Uttar Pradesh and is already transforming the way emergency cases are handled at IMS-BHU’s Trauma Centre.
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How It Works
The process begins the moment a patient arrives at the centre. A trained doctor or a data coordinator opens the TCBHU SS application on a mobile device and feeds in details of the patient’s condition. These include the nature of injuries, breathing patterns, blood pressure, bleeding complications, and other vital signs.
Once entered, the system instantly analyses the information and generates a score. This score predicts both the severity of the injury and the probability of mortality. In simple terms, it tells the medical team which patient among several arrivals needs urgent admission to the Trauma Bay’s intensive care unit.
“This is called AI-based triage,” explains Prof Saurabh Singh, in-charge of the Trauma Centre. He said earlier, prioritisation in emergency situations depended mainly on manual assessment by doctors, which took precious time. Now, the system processes data almost instantly and helps identify the most critical patients without delay.
Singh said the importance of this technology is felt when multiple patients are rushed in at once, as often happens after accidents, road crashes, or mass casualty events.
“If several patients arrive simultaneously, details of each are filled on separate pages of the TCBHU SS. Within seconds, the system analyses all entries and indicates whose condition is most critical. This helps us allocate resources effectively and ensures that the patient with the greatest need gets intensive care on priority,” he explains.
Patients identified as critical are shifted directly to the Trauma Bay’s 25-bed triage unit, where a dedicated team of doctors and surgeons begins immediate treatment.
Since its launch just a month ago, the system has analysed data from around 1,000 patients, according to Singh. “The TCBHU SS has been fairly accurate in predicting the condition and survival probability of patients. It helps us in both decision-making and preparedness for further treatment,” he adds.
The tool is especially valuable in cases where injury patterns are complex and not immediately visible. For instance, while one patient may show visible external wounds, another may have internal bleeding or complications that are less obvious. The AI-based scoring system helps balance such scenarios, ensuring that treatment is not swayed by appearance alone but guided by medical indicators.
Emergency medicine experts often stress that the first 60 minutes after a major injury—the so-called “golden hour”—can determine survival. Any delay in identifying patients who need ventilator support, surgery, or urgent blood transfusion can lead to preventable fatalities.
“In a country like India, where trauma cases are frequent due to road accidents, industrial injuries, and violence, efficient triage is crucial,” says Singh. He said the AI-based system certainly doesn’t replace doctors but supports them with evidence-based predictions. It helps reduce the chances of human error in high-pressure situations.
The Trauma Centre at BHU is one of the busiest in eastern Uttar Pradesh, handling dozens of cases daily. In such a high-load environment, the ability to quickly filter and categorise patients has already begun making a difference, staff members confirm.
Globally, AI-driven triage systems are being explored in advanced trauma and emergency care facilities. However, their adaptation in India has been limited. BHU’s initiative marks a significant step in localising such technology and tailoring it to the needs of Indian hospitals, where patient inflow is often high and resources limited.
- Location :
Varanasi, India, India
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