By Kayla Matthews, HealthIT writer and technology enthusiast, Tech Blog
Twitter: @ProductiBytes
More so than any other industry, timeliness is of enormous importance to first responders. A mere minute can make the difference between life and death.
Fortunately, emerging EMS technology continues to aid the jobs of first responders, helping save lives thanks to increased connectivity and efficiency, providing vital information to first responders while improving the safety of their operations.
Mobile Information Solutions
Mobile solutions in the form of smartphones and tablets accommodate real-time information sharing that can be of enormous benefit to first responders, who can gauge a patient’s medical history and blood type during time-sensitive moments. First responders can also use mobile capabilities to transmit electronic patient data to the hospital while en route.
A trial by the University of Chicago Medical Center found tablet utilization to access patient information results in fewer medication errors. Mobile devices can play a pivotal rule in reducing mistakes at both the location of the event and the hospital.
Recognizing the effectiveness of mobile-based information, Verizon’s “Operation Convergent Response” was host to over 200 first responders, government officials and business leaders. The program demonstrated innovative modern technologies for EMS responders, as well as stress-testing existing technology.
The technology Verizon showed at the program included drones that surveilled emergency situations, autonomous vehicles that can access hard-to-reach spaces and balloon-tethered 4G LTE cell sites to ensure proper coverage. EMS workers anticipate using this technology shortly. This technology can resolve various potential issues, like an EMS worker not being able to access vital information due to poor service or an injury victim stuck in a hard-to-reach space.
Real-Time Monitoring
DataTech911 solutions are exemplary of emerging technology for EMS workers. Specifically, DataWatch911 real-time monitoring provides a comprehensive management platform for EMS response, performance, compliance and workload metrics, helping to improve efficiency and communication. The control utilizes thorough analytics to boost performance and alert companies in areas that need some attention.
A case study of the monitoring from the Mecklenburg EMS Agency found the technology efficiently addresses quality assurance and optimal workload management, thanks to a robust CAD system that helps to improve effectiveness alongside analytics and reporting tools that operate in real-time. The results showed significant improvement in Mecklenburg’s EMS operations.
Real-time monitoring is also useful for multi-jurisdictional emergency call assignment, helping unify various emergency call centers and agencies so that miscommunication is less prevalent.
For example, DataTech911’s FirstResponse911 software automates transferring call data to secondary Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) or EMS, with call receipt acknowledgment to reduce dropped calls. The result is an improved response to stroke and STEMI incidents, which require prompt and decisive care.
Driver Behavior Analysis
Efficient, safe driving is pivotal to the work of EMS workers. While on-site treatment is crucial, so is getting from the hospital to the site and back again. As a result, technology is emerging that monitors driver behavior and route decisions.
Allina Health EMS, for example, travels four million miles annually, a distance that can undoubtedly undergo thorough analysis for improvements in driver training and decision-making. The installation of a fleet management and vehicle tracking system aids Allina in providing feedback to the driver en route regarding aspects like speed, acceleration, G-force and traffic.
Improving the expertise and knowledge of EMS drivers can make a significant difference in timely treatment. As a result, ambulance and EMS fleet tracking like GPSTrackit is becoming increasingly prevalent in the medical industry.
The essential jobs of EMS workers are experiencing enhancement by technology that improves various facets of EMS operations, from informational exchange to driver efficiency and safety.