Paramus EMS Helps Pilot New Emergency Communication App

PARAMUS, N.J. — The borough’s emergency medical services is helping pilot Twiage, a communications triage system that allows EMTs to deliver critical information to hospitals while they are transporting patients.

Designed to reduce reliance on antiquated radio communication, Twiage is a smartphone app that allows first responders to send information, photos, videos, and EKG results ahead of time. The information appears on a computer screen at the emergency room, along with the patient’s estimated time of arrival. Ridgewood is the other municipality to pilot the app.

“I believe this program can be of great benefit to achieve our duties as Emergency Medical Technicians. Every second matters in achieving a positive outcome for a patient who’s in need of emergency medical care," said Ridgewood EMS Capt. Murray Yang. "Twiage can reduce our patient turnover time to definitive care by five to 10 minutes."

The app is free for emergency responders to use. Hospitals must pay a subscription fee to get the information.
Valley Hospital is sponsoring the program.

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PHOTO: Ridgewood EMT Mary Hefferan accessing the Twiage Smartphone application. Photo courtesy of Twiage