Emergency Medical Services Ambulances - Research Paper Example

Emergency Medical Services Ambulances Introduction Emergency Medical services (EMS) have in recent times been purchasing new medical devices and information technologies. It is the responsibility of EMS medical directors and EMS agencies to determine the kind of technology that will avail best quality health care. Emergency response chain including 9-1-1, hospitals and EMS now have a vast wealth of information about emergencies normally obtained from third parties. Medical practitioners must ensure that objective decisions are made when selecting the kind of new technology to be adapted. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) is a technology assessment technique used to evaluate the worth of a piece of technology. This technique is costly to apply when selecting EMS technology. Assessment and selection of efficient and cost effective information technology devices have been some of the issues affecting emergency medical services in the recent times. OMG Wireless Transmitting medical information directly to a hospital can help save time, money and more importantly save a patient’s life. The advent of onboard mobile gateway (oMG) wireless system from In Motion Technology British Columbia, Canada has made it possible to equip vehicles (ambulances) with computing devices that are able to communicate with each other in and outside the vehicle, using wired and wireless technology (Rich, 2012). The system being a multi purpose built communications processor minimizes proliferation of wireless accounts, radio modems and antennas by enabling local area network (LAN) devices to share assets with wide area network resources. The system is also self regulating thereby reducing the need for dispatchers since it can automatically sense, assess and select the best available network to provide a back up should the primary network fail. The central medical emergency dispatch (CMED) system is mostly suitable for voice communications. oMG has mobile data capabilities such as biometrics, LPR, and e-ticketing which provide officers with greater access to information in the field. With such tools and many more, officers do not have to radio a dispatcher to obtain information about vehicles or suspects. Secure, wireless wide area networking transit fleet operations are enhanced by the powerful oMG communications platform. All systems aboard an ambulance i.e. video surveillance, CAD/AVL etc are allowed access to multiple garage area and wide area wireless networks. This platform solves communications problems of health care professionals by providing a multi network environment with full access to multiple devices and applications. EMS no longer has to rely on modems, cell phones or PDA’s. These gadgets not only communicate over a single network but the solution they offer is unreliable because it is temporary based on the circumstances. There is no single network that can provide complete coverage for proliferating technological devices and applications. OMG solves the problem of incompatibility by leveraging standard based networking technology to provide a more effective approach to mobile broadband networking (Rich, 2011). OMG avails a vehicle area network that is not only cost effective but efficient and reliable for paramedics in motion. EMS organizations have been able to improve patient care by cutting down costs and reducing response times. This technology creates a secure, mobile hotspot that makes it possible for multiple onboard, wireless and wired devices i.e. inventory tracking systems, dispatch, video, medical equipments and patient care recording to connect seamlessly thereby enabling operations, hospitals and other first responders to communicate reliably. EMS can save up to $750 airtime alone per annum by using just two in vehicle devices. OMG allows high priority data to travel over high bandwidth and cellular network. To reduce airtime costs, Wi-Fi networks are used when transmitting low priority information. The system is flexible and easy to update every time new wireless networks become introduced into the market. It reduces response time by analyzing archived GPS information in real time. Organizations are therefore able to preposition vehicles based on the highly accurate data that is provided by the system for dispatching and routing. Life Net A life threatening condition such as a heart attack can lead to death if not treated early enough. Delapine Foundation in Maryland fits ambulances with a system known as LifeNet that sends real-time information concerning a patient’s electrocardiogram, or EKG to a hospitals emergency department prior to arrival of the ambulance (Rich, 2011). Such information enables the doctors to determine whether the patient should be taken through an angioplasty or catheterization program. Ambulance paramedics use the latest digital technology to send EKG, normally a snapshot of a patient’s heart rhythms to waiting doctors. The doctors can therefore prepare themselves in advance thereby reducing wait time upon the arrival of the heart attack patient. Time becomes an issue when paramedics have to deal with a patient suffering from serious hear attacks. Any single minute that is wasted on such a patient may mean the loss of more heart tissues. Naturally, this may cause the patient to suffer from serious disability or death. Gone are the days when the critical element of time became compromised due to the use of slow technology that took long to relay information from rural ambulance systems to hospitals. OSF Healthcare system has helped a total of 42 emergency medical services agencies manage the issue of time wastage by donating a system that will reduce the chances of dying from a heart attack. OSF provides such agencies with grants to obtain LifeNet system technology to streamline health care. There was a time when EKG transmissions would take 15 minutes to be completed in Eureka-Goldfields one of the beneficiaries of the grant. Transmission usually relied on outdated cell phone technology. LifeNEt reduces facilitates cardiologists reactions and a patients recovery by availing the very much needed data prior to arrival of the ambulance. With such data, they are able to make objective decisions based on EKG review, prepare a room where a surgery is expected to take place and most importantly determine the appropriate treatment procedures. Prior to debut of LifeNEt, cardiologists would be unable to review and interpret EKG to determine treatment in the absence of the patient (Rich, 2011). The system is designed such that the hospital staff receives alerts concerning the condition of a patient who may be experiencing some extremely serious type of heart attack so as to salvage the crucial element of time. With LifeNEt, the time taken by cardiologists to insert a balloon catheter in to the patients blocked artery is greatly reduced. The system is available to patients visiting any hospital that is part of the LIFENET system. Some of these hospitals include Peking hospital and Peoria hospitals that were beneficiaries of the OSF grant. Statistical data indicates that mortality rate from acute heart attacks in areas where the system has been operational has decreased by a considerable margin. Siren ePCR Suit Just like LifeNEt, Siren ePCR cuts down preparation time. It is reporting software from Medusa Medical Technologies which is compatible with Philips heart start cardiac defibrillator/ monitor. Using this system enables EMS agencies to relay data from the monitor in an ambulance straight to the ward where the vehicle is headed. Naturally, this improves response time. This system has made it easier for paramedics to take care of patients while at the same time record and transfer data in real time to hospital personnel. It enables data such as EKG, events, treatments and vitals to be to download directly from Heart Start MRx into tablet PC software (Rich, 2011). It allows the patient to be treated and evaluated in his or her way to hospital by decreasing discovery to treatment times. Pre-hospital care providers utilize the efficient futures of the system to access a patients care database and monitor a patient’s current condition to help them take good care of patients and arrive make more informed choices. The continuity of care from an ambulance headed towards a hospital is ensured by recording data from Heart start MRx, including waveforms and patient vitals using siren ePCR system. Conclusion The aforementioned technologies improve service to communities by reducing response times and avoiding costly penalties. They also improve patient outcome by allowing in side the ambulance treatment and relaying to hospital staff vital information such as EKG etc prior to the arrival of the ambulance. Proper selection and assessment of EMS technology improves patient’s outcome and expedites critical treatment. A group of experienced technical personnel should be given the task of evaluating information technology and EMS devices that avail patient data. System issues such as mobile environment i.e. moving ambulance or air should be taken into account among other selection criteria. Works Cited Rich, Sarah. Wi-Fi Platform Sends Lifesaving Data Between Ambulances, Hospitals. Emergency Management, 29 Nov. 2011. Web 18 November 2012. . Read More