... No, it's not chocolates and flowers.
The medical research community is continually providing us with exciting new technology and clinical findings that can make our jobs in EMS easier and our treatments more precise. So why are we not always sharing these findings with our patients? Well I’m here to tell you, those 80’s parachute pants were great 35 years ago but it’s time to buy some new britches.
We make decisions all day, every day. Most of them are taken care of in our sub-conscience, and we don't even have to think about them. But others decisions are more complicated: If you were to have an emergency for example, where would you go for your care? Why would you choose that hospital? What about when you're choosing for your critical patient? Several factors play into this decision, but too often people use the wrong information to make that choice. As a matter of fact, according to a recent New York Times article, going to the wrong hospital could cost patients their lives! That's right. Choose the wrong hospital for your patient's condition, and they're three times more likely to die.
Bozeman, MT -- Pulsara announced last week the release of their app version 5.4. The company began the announcement by reminding readers of their purpose statement: "Our purpose [is] to improve the lives of patients and caregivers through innovative communication. We care about patient outcomes. Equally, we care about you and the burden you carry as a clinician. Our goal is to simplify your workflows during time-sensitive emergencies. While we're really good at what we do, you're even better at your job. That's why this update is packed full of features requested by you ... the end user."
The 5.4 app version includes key mobile features such as the ability to add vital signs to all STEMI and stroke activations, and lab values to all STEMI activations. The General Patient package included labs and vital signs before this update. Pulsara has also made all interfaces for creating cases and entering patient information more standardized and consistent.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following content originally appeared on EMS1.com as paid content sponsored by Pulsara. Special thanks to our guest blogger, Drew Rinella for EMS1 BrandFocus. Drew is the clinical coordinator for Bonner County EMS in rural North Idaho. He is a paramedic, public servant, and competition shooter. Drew is an advocate for quality in EMS and also blogs his crusade against bad EKGs in product advertising.
We’ve known for a while now that when EMS providers are properly trained, they perform at a high level when it comes to treating and assessing patients. For example, past studies have shown that paramedics who had formal training in identifying STEMI on a 12-lead ECG could do so with the same level of proficiency as most ED Physicians (1). The same goes for identifying stroke. A similar study showed that paramedics were on par with ED physicians when it comes to identifying stroke using simple stroke scales such as the CPSS or FAST (2).
We've been saying it's coming for a long time (but we're also a little biased): There's a revolution in EMS thanks to new technologies and information that have propelled EMS into a much broader community role than transporting patients to the hospital.
According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, EMS crews across the country continue to provide more and more advanced treatment before patients are taken to the hospital. In some cases, paramedics are even beginning to make house calls to provide medical attention to patients whose conditions are not life-threatening. Communities that have implemented this concept known as EMS 3.0, send medics to treat patients at home for shortness of breath, dehydration, abrasions, abdominal pain, minor fever, cold-like symptoms, minor falls, as well as helping to manage chronic conditions like diabetes, and ensuring patients who were recently discharged from a hospital are following their care instructions.
Recently in my travels I heard something that really stuck with me: “When a hospital goes the extra mile, patients will do the same.”
Think about that for a minute. Is your hospital one that truly goes the extra mile? What does that entail?
The best person to ask this question of is a Paramedic who services your hospital. There are several things that determine where a medic takes a patient who has trusted them with their lives:
| Medics at MCHD respond to an emergency call |
Just for grins and giggles, I signed in to Netflix recently and watched a few episodes of the medical drama from the 70's, "Emergency!" I'm a little young to remember the show when it was on the air, but when I started in EMS, my paramedic partner insisted that I watch some of it. It was a rite of passage. Of course, there was also Bringing Out the Dead starring Nicholas Cage and Mother, Jugs & Speed with Bill Cosby, but those are for another post.
Pulsara, a CommuniCare Technology, Inc. company.
FDA DISCLAIMER The Pulsara applications are intended to facilitate communication for and accelerate preparation of acute care coordination. The applications are not intended to be relied upon for making diagnostic or treatment decisions or used in connection with monitoring a patient.
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Bringing together our innovative PULSARA® PLATFORM with our Internet of Lifesaving People™ advisory services to promote streamlined workflows and positive change management to enable real-time communication and information sharing for healthcare teams. It's About Time. It's About People.
