Pulsara Blog

On April 28th, JEMS Webcasts hosted an enriching webinar featuring a distinguished panel of EMS leaders discussing how their organizations are using mobile technology to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they plan to use those same technologies in the future.

On Tuesday, April 28th at 10:00 PT / 11:00 MT / 12:00 CT, JEMS Webcasts will host a webinar on how EMS leaders are using mobile technology to manage the COVID-19 crisis. 

Why double down on a broken system that hasn’t worked for disasters, active shooter incidents, or large-scale events? In the largest pandemic of our lifetime, learn how clinical leaders in both Texas and Colorado are using mobile technology to not only manage the COVID-19 crisis, but also lay the foundation for the new reality of EMS, including Mobile Integrated Healthcare, Community Paramedicine, and Telehealth.

Why has the healthcare system resisted telemedicine as a solution for so long? 

Telemedicine offers a world of opportunity for innovation and improvement in healthcare communication. Clinicians can use it to assess patients remotely, advise medical care without having to be on-site, and consult with one another to bring patients the highest possible quality in medical care. We rely so heavily on technology in every other area of life, it seems counterintuitive that old, outdated technology dominates the industry where saving time can save lives. 

Up until now, that potential has mostly gone untapped. Why?

Why did it take a global pandemic to convince healthcare providers to try telemedicine?

Up until last month, telemedicine seemed like a healthcare innovation of the future to many. But now, as we face the fallout of COVID-19, telemedicine is exploding at a rate that was unthinkable only a few months ago. Such dramatic numbers might make us ask why this has taken so long, when the concept of doctors being able to see patients remotely has been around for years.

At the end of 2019, video conferencing platform Zoom had 10 million registered users. In March, that number jumped to 200 million. While a fraction of that number are medical appointments, physicians are seeing record high numbers for virtual appointments. Stanford Health Care is seeing 3,000 patients through televisits each day, an unprecedented 40% of all their clinical visits. That’s 50 times higher than in previous months. Massachusetts General Hospital has seen their number of virtual appointments multiply 10 to 20 times in the last few weeks.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Scott Stanley for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. 

The secret to effective communication is knowing how and when to share your message. This is something that, after 20 years of marriage, I am finally starting to grasp the concept of.

Let me explain: When we communicate with others, we can do so in two ways -- in real-time (synchronously), or we can deliver a message that can be consumed by the recipient when it is convenient for them, (asynchronously).

For instance, I have found that when communicating with my wife about an injury to one of my children, a phone call, no matter what time of day or night, is warranted. Information is shared between us that is used to make decisions in the care and treatment of those injuries, and an action plan is set in place quickly. This real-time, synchronous communication lets us be as efficient as possible under time-sensitive conditions. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Jeff Jensen for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. 

Recently, NAEMSP published a study on the importance of the quality of EMS communication handoff during pediatric resuscitations. As quoted in the study, they state “The Joint Commission has identified ineffective handoff communication as a contributing factor in 80% of serious medical errors. The quality of handoff communication from EMS to ED teams for critically ill pediatric patients needs further exploration.”

It is estimated that today, roughly one third of all healthcare spending is wasteful, providing no benefit to patients -- and that wasted money amounts to a humbling $1 Trillion. Further, studies show that hospitals waste $12 Billion per year on poor communication.  

With increasing numbers of big name hospitals reporting decreases in operating margins, this is an alarming trend. But where is all of this money going? 

“In today’s interconnected and complex healthcare environment, an EMS leader must understand when and how to collaborate, both within the organization and with outside partners.”

Last month, EMS1.com published “The State of Collaboration in EMS” white paper, to help inform EMS leaders about the importance of and tips for collaboration within their own organizations and with outside entities.

One region featured in the white paper was Colorado Springs, CO. The region was struggling to connect the more than twelve fire and EMS organizations and five hospitals (who are part of two larger hospital systems), particularly when trying to communicate key information for time sensitive emergencies. The feature in the white paper discusses how EMS leaders in the area were able to unite all care teams, regardless of the entities they worked for, around a common goal of improving quality of care for patients in the community by reducing delays due to miscommunication.

Last Month, EMS1.com published an eBook titled "Examine Your EMS Agency's Safety Culture to Improve Patient Outcomes."  In it, Pulsara's Founder and CEO, Dr. James Woodson, was featured for one of the articles about how technology is not a magic bullet that can fix an inefficient EMS culture. Instead, technology must be supplemented with good processes, and most importantly, with the right people. Below is the full article featuring Dr. Woodson. The entire eBook can be downloaded here!

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article originally appeared on EMS1.com. Special thanks to our guest author, Rachel Zoch of EMS1 BrandFocus. 

--

As so-called “self-driving” technology advances, there are more and more stories about autonomous vehicles in the media. Some are positive accounts of the possibilities this technology offers for improved safety or efficiency – others are cautionary tales about crashes and other potential dangers. 

But what does autonomous vehicle technology mean for EMS? How will self-driving cars interact with ambulances? Will ambulances themselves become autonomous?

This article answers five key questions to help providers understand what the increasing use of autonomous vehicles means for EMS:

According to a recent article published in Forbes, "The move to population health and away from fee-for-service medicine is working to the detriment of U.S. hospitals, a new report from Fitch Ratings indicates.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following content originally appeared on EMS1.com. Special thanks to our guest author, Tim Nowak for EMS1 BrandFocus. Tim is the founder and CEO of Emergency Medical Solutions LLC, an independent EMS training and consulting company that he developed in 2010. He's been involved in EMS and emergency services since 2002 and has worked as an EMT, paramedic and critical care paramedic in a variety of urban, suburban, rural and hospital settings. He’s also been involved as an EMS educator, consultant, item writer, clinical preceptor, board member, reference product developer, firefighter and hazmat technician throughout his career.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following news story originally appeared on Mississippi new site WLOX. Read the full story here. 

--

New mobile technology is being used to help [reduce treatment times] at Singing River Health System.

Singing River health care providers say Pulsara, a new medical application, dramatically speeds up communication between First Responders and their hospital emergency departments. 

Every minute counts during an emergency. That's why health experts say this new mobile communication tool is so important.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Last month, EMS1, Fitch & Associates, and the National EMS Management Association released their third annual EMS Trend Report, proudly sponsored by Pulsara. Because the articles and advice found within contain such critical subject matter, we've elected to publish each segment one at a time here on our blog. Read, enjoy, share, and take to heart the following information brought to you by the most prestigious thought leaders in EMS. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Greg Friese, MS, NRP, is Editor-in-Chief of EMS1.com. He is an educator, author, paramedic, and marathon runner. Ask questions or submit tip ideas to Greg by emailing him at greg.friese@ems1.com.

--

New tools and systems are making it easier to share data for better communication and improved patient care.

Greg Friese, EMS1 editor-in-chief, sat down with Kris Kaull to learn more about the impact of new tools and innovations on EMS. As a communication technologist, Kaull, a co-founder of EMS1.com and Chief Marketing Officer of Pulsara, shares his thoughts on technology and its current and future impacts on EMS.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Last week, EMS1, Fitch & Associates, and the National EMS Management Association released their third annual EMS Trend Report, proudly sponsored by Pulsara. Because the articles and advice found within contain such critical subject matter, we've elected to publish each segment one at a time here on our blog. Read, enjoy, share, and take to heart the following information brought to you by the most prestigious thought leaders in EMS. 

About the authors: Jay Fitch, PhD, is a founding partner of Fitch & Associates, and has spent more than four decades serving the EMS community as a leader, author, speaker, educator and consultant. Guillermo Fuentes, MBA, is the Fitch & Associates partner specializing in communications and technology. He previously served in operations and leadership roles in public safety in Montreal and the Niagara region of Ontario.

--

EMS is at a critical juncture in its maturation, and it is the perception and attitude of those who work in the industry that will impact the future. Culture change can only happen if leaders recognize it’s needed, and the profession takes concerted efforts to make it happen.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Greg Brown, MN, RN, for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. 

It’s no secret that Emergency Department nurses wear many hats, but as Charge Nurses we have additional demands beyond those of our colleagues. When walking into the charge role, we are gifted not only with the responsibility, but also the privilege to lead a staff for the next 12 hours.

No matter what happens over those 12 hours, there are always two outcomes: The shift will get better, or it will end. I, for one, relish the challenge of being a charge nurse in a busy ED. I get to flex my problem solving, prioritizing, and critical thinking skills in a broader scope that affects my organization as a whole entity.

That being said, when things start to go sideways, the challenge can become overwhelming and exhausting, and the only thing we can do is to make the best decisions we can at that moment. Sometimes we win, and sometimes we fall on our faces. But that is the beauty of leading an ED. We are surrounded by allies, who all rally behind each other and pick each other up. Our successes and failures are shared, and as a Charge Nurse, we get to lead, well … the charge!

[NOTE: Pulsara recently spent at day at the FirstNet Innovation Lab in Boulder Colorado where Pulsara is now installed. The Lab is a centralized location to showcase the capabilities of FirstNet. Pulsara is collaborating with FirstNet to showcase the importance of real-time team communications that crosses healthcare entities. Thank you @FirstNet for your hospitality. — Shawn Olson & Brandon Means]

Why is innovation in healthcare so slow?  

"Despite their stated enthusiasm, hospitals have been notoriously slow to adopt digital innovations. Explanations include their IT departments already have their hands full installing, maintaining, and upgrading electronic health record (EHR) systems. But much of the blame can be attributed to hospitals’ misaligned budgeting and incentive systems."

A recent article from Harvard Business Review shows how our hospital budget systems are holding back innovation and gives suggestions for how we can address the problems. Specifically, the article mentions three barriers hospitals have to adopting new technology.

 Thirty minutes or less used to be standard for food delivery. Meanwhile, in other regions of the world, some remote villages would have to wait hours for the medications and blood needed to save lives. Fast forward to today, and -- thanks to the rising demand for delivery as well as urban sprawl -- the food delivery standard has grown to around an hour. But, the same trend has not followed medical supply delivery thanks to a startup called Zipline, which can now deliver life-saving blood, snake anti-venom, and medications to remote locations in a matter of minutes.