Emergency Medical Care manages the EHS High Performance ground ambulance operations for the Province on behalf of the provincial Department of Health.

"Being a High Performance EMS organization means that we are constantly striving to be more efficient with resources and improve care, in part through the use of innovative technology. In Motion Technology's onBoard Mobile Gateway is allowing our paramedics access to critical information in real-time while in transit or at the scene of an emergency," said Tim P. Coolen, EMC Vice President for Business Planning and Technologies.

"The Gateway technology has become an vital part of our mission to deliver effective health services and safety solutions through knowledgeable and caring professionals."

In managing the EHS ambulance fleet in Nova Scotia, EMC was faced with the challenge of enabling critical data to flow two ways, both to the paramedics in the field from the EHS Medical Communications Centre and back, across a vast rural landscape. In view of this, Sierra Systems, an external Consulting firm, was enlisted to look for solutions that could meet the System's unique requirements to transmit this data.

"We recommended In Motion Technology for this implementation because it is a flexible solution that functions well in a variety of geographic and wireless environments. The device supports the current EMS equipment and can accommodate emerging technology providing both short and long-term benefits," said Don Trotter, Technology Director with Sierra Systems."

The onBoard Mobile Gateway is installed in over 155 EHS system vehicles. Each Gateway creates a "vehicle area network" in and around the vehicle that integrates all data communications, including medical devices, electronic patient care records, GPS, driver safety monitoring and dispatch systems. It uses the best available wireless network to transmit information from the field to the EHS Medical Communications Centre and to area hospitals.

When an In Motion Technology-equipped EHS ambulance is sent on a call, it receives computer aided dispatch information from the EHS Medical Communications Centre through the Gateway. Through use of vehicle location information transmitted via the Gateway, it is able to take the fastest satellite-guided route to and from the scene.

In addition, patient information can be wirelessly transmitted to the emergency departments for printing prior to arrival. This provides critical data to emergency personnel at the speed necessary to save lives. It has enabled the EHS system to change the way that the printed record becomes available for the hospital, for inclusion in the permanent patient record at the facility, and has eliminated the need for costly 3-part preprinted forms and documentation storage.

"Our paramedics are collectively working faster and more efficiently without paper documentation in the field," said Coolen. "Patient records provided to the hospitals are complete and legible, allowing more streamlined allocation of resources and personnel."

Critical driver and vehicle information is monitored in real-time by the staff in the EHS Medical Communications Centre. The onBoard Mobility Manager enables ground operations not only to see the location of vehicles, but to identify vehicle issues such as vehicle battery power levels.

"It used to be that, for a number of reasons, our ambulances would not be consistently hooked-up through a shoreline power source overnight, or while the ambulance was parked at the paramedic base," said Coolen.

"When that happened, the battery would die, and could take several hours to restore technology operations in the vehicle. With the onBoard Mobility Manager, we can now call the ambulance crew as soon as we realize the battery isn't being charged and ask them to hook up their shoreline power, virtually eliminating the problem of dead batteries."

"We are delighted that the province of Nova Scotia is seeing the improvements in service that In Motion Technology is enabling along with nearly 100 other public safety organizations across North America," said In Motion Technology CEO Kirk Moir. "Their choice of In Motion Technology will improve emergency communications, operations and life-saving patient care while safeguarding public resources."

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