PFD to Use Wireless Technology to Track Patients, Decrease Response Time

A Mass Casualty Incident or MCI is an event no one even wants to think about, much less experience firsthand. The folks at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in a post-9/11 world, do think about it, however.

And in the effort to make Americans safer, including residents of Portsmouth, Homeland Security, through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a grant that will underwrite a wireless application to assist emergency rescue personnel to more effectively respond to the unthinkable.

And it's way better than the new iPhone in that it just might one day save your life.

To help the Portsmouth Fire Department, emergency medical personnel and local hospitals respond to an MCI, as well surge capacity on a daily basis, the Portsmouth Fire Department is installing real-time, wireless Patient Tracking Systems in all three of its ambulance vehicles. 

The system will enable emergency responders to electronically transmit patient information to waiting emergency care units at local Newport County hospitals and other medical facilities throughout the state.

The Portsmouth Fire Department was notified of the grant approximately three weeks ago and the Patient Tracking Systems will go live in two weeks. To date, 33 Portsmouth firemen and EMTs, nearly the entire department, have been instructed in the practical use of the technology.

"The Portsmouth emergency medical services unit responds to approximately 2,700 calls per year," said Portsmouth Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Church, a 23-year veteran of the fire department. "In the event of an MCI, or any other medical emergency, having patient tracking in these ambulances can make the difference."

The Patient Tracking Systems, which include touchscreen Panasonic Toughbook computers, are installed in the rear compartment of all three of the Portsmouth Fire Department's rescue vehicles, with Hewlett-Packard touchscreen computer monitors in the front. Wireless connection will bridge communications between ambulance and hospital emergency care.

According to Deputy Chief Church, the Portsmouth Fire Department instituted electronic patient reporting back in June; however, the system did not feature real-time tracking, nor did the system leverage wireless technology.

"The new wireless-based Patient Tracking System will allow hospitals to anticipate needs at the point of transport," said Church.

Installing the wireless systems in 100 ambulances is part of the statewide Rhode Island Hospital Emergency Preparedness program. The Patient Tracking System will enhance the current Web-based Hospital Capacity System — designed so that hospital emergency departments can observe and react to the influx of patients — and will have the ability integrate other future enhancements, such as hospital-based software systems, patient barcode wristbands and scanners.

While utilizing the wireless Patient Tracking System will relieve fire department's emergency personnel from having to make phone notifications to nearby hospitals of their impending arrival, this will not apply in an event where immediate medical consultation is required.

When asked if the new Patient Tracking Systems presented any liabilities or learning curve obstacles, Deputy Chief Church commented that an industry review conducted several years revealed the biggest complaint was that "Some EMTs in training procedures had their face buried in the computer."

"Our concern is that it's patient first, technology second," said Church.