Forsyth County EMS Improves Vehicle Dispatch and Patient Care with In Motion Technology’s Vehicle Area Network
Organization Sees Future Opportunities for Technology as "Limitless"
VANCOUVER, BC and Winston-Salem, N.C. – July 24, 2007 – In Motion Technology, a leader in vehicle area networks for public safety organizations, today announced that Forsyth County EMS (FCEMS) has seen improvements in pre-hospital care with In Motion’s onBoardTM Mobile Gateway and onBoardTM Mobility Manager. The EMS organization is now able to monitor the health and location of vehicles and networks remotely, reduce response times and reliably support multiple applications utilizing In Motion’s technology.
FCEMS provides 24 hour-a-day advanced life support and pre-hospital emergency medical care for more than 306,000 residents in a 420 square mile area in North Carolina. The organization responds to more than 33,000 calls annually and serves Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and Forsyth Medical Center.
In 1999, FCEMS deployed electronic patient care reporting for their crews, and was transmitting reports from the ambulance while at their quarters using WiFi hotspots. In 2006, they deployed computer aided dispatch (CAD), automated vehicle location (AVL) and had plans to communicate electrocardiogram (ECG) information to hospitals in advance of the patient.
The WiFi hotspots were extremely effective at the stations, but when crews were busy their inability to transmit information was affecting quality assurance and billings. They wanted to transmit patient information in real time in order to improve patient care. FCEMS tried to use the county's UHF network to send CAD/AVL information, but the volume of data brought the network "to its knees".
The network was also insufficient for the transmission of ePCR or ECG data. What Forsyth needed was a solution that would enable them to communicate patient medical information in real time, and reliably handle new applications when they were ready to deploy. The organization searched for a new network solution and deployed In Motion’s technology.
“We are extremely pleased with our new communications platform, and the support of the entire In Motion Technology team has been extraordinary,†said Major Rodney Overman, Compliance Officer at FCEMS. “We know In Motion Technology is 100 percent committed to helping us, and this is an important communications and patient care initiative going forward. We are realizing the uses for this technology are almost limitless.â€
Since January 2007, FCEMS has implemented CAD/AVL, ePCRs and the transmission of 12-Lead ECGs over Bluetooth using the onBoardTM Mobile Gateway and are finding it's faster and far more reliable than using cellular modems. Paramedics are now able to access vehicle location data for easier and faster dispatch, reduce response times and expedite the treatment process for patients, especially heart attack patients by transmitting critical data to the hospital in advance.
FCEMS is finding additional applications using In Motion’s technology, as the platform supports new network technologies like 4.9 GHz municipal wireless networks and 700 MHz public safety networks. The organization plans to seamlessly deploy cutting-edge applications including an inventory management system, streaming video from the ambulance to the Emergency Department and driver safety/monitoring applications that will all utilize the onBoard Mobile Gateway.
“Customers like Forsyth County EMS are looking for faster, more reliable multi-network solutions to support all their applications,†said Kirk Moir, CEO, In Motion Technology. “We are building technology that will ensure first responders are equipped with the communications they need now and for the future.â€
The In Motion onBoard Mobile Gateway is a cognitive wireless system that turns vehicles into secure local area networks that sense and select the best available wireless network, enabling emergency medical technicians to access and disseminate information from the field. The onBoard Mobility Manager monitors the vehicle location and health of the mobile network, helping public safety organizations improve response times.
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About Forsyth County EMS
Forsyth County EMS provides 24 hour-a-day advanced life support and pre-hospital emergency medical care for a population of over 306,000 residents in a 420 square mile area in North Carolina. More than 90% of FCEMS full-time personnel are certified by the National Registry of EMT-Paramedics. They serve Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and Forsyth Medical Center. FCEMS was awarded Model System Status by the North Carolina Office of EMS in 2003.
About In Motion Technology
In Motion Technology provides cognitive wireless systems that enable public safety organizations to stay connected while in motion. The company’s complete vehicle area network solution ensures that any IP device can be useful in the field immediately with no modification, connecting to headquarters over the most reliable communications network available. In Motion Technology solutions have been successfully deployed in high-performance EMS, Police and Fire departments in the US and Canada. Founded in 2002, In Motion Technology is based in Vancouver, BC.