Williams F1 team uses pit-stop efficiency to help resuscitation of newborn babies

We’ve all heard the stories about technology in Formula One cars trickling down into our very own road cars, producing additional performance and safety on our roads.  We’ve also seen companies like Williams take their F1 technology outside of F1 with hybrid systems and engine management among many others.  But how useful is F1 in Hospital?  Especially in the neonatal ward?

Well, this is just awesome.  The Williams F1 team has taken its knowledge and efficiency which it uses race after race to produce some of the fastest pit stops in the sport – changing all four wheels in around two seconds – and applied it to a very special need.

Teaming up with the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) the team worked together to see how any F1 techniques and processes could be incorporated into the work of the neonatal resuscitation team.

Once you dig down on this, it makes perfect sense.  Both situations require a team of people to work quickly in a restricted environment.

The hospital started working with the team, in particular their “human performance specialist” who has been advising the hospital, and began implementing changes to improve their resuscitation process.

Things like the resuscitation equipment trolley which has now been audited and streamlined to ensure the gear is located as quickly as possible.  Plus they’ve got a standardised floor space mapped out in the delivery theatres to clearly show the area for the resuscitation team to work in.

Williams release about this project included the following quotes: