EMS Communication Systems

Topics

• Benefits of EMS Communication Systems

• System Elements

• Radio Systems

• The Future

• Patient Radio Reports

Benefits of EMS Communication Systems

• Point of Receipt for Service Request• Assignment of Appropriate Resources• Pre-arrival Instructions• Notification & Dispatch of Resources• Incident Tracking• Safety (EMER button & AVL)• System Status Monitoring Mechanism• Data Management & Research Tool

System Elements• 911 & 311 Access Points• Communications Center Staff

– Call Taker

– Dispatcher

• Field Receiving Units– Pager, Radio, MDT, Printer, Field Comm Center

• Field Transmitting Units– Mobile/Portable radio, MDT, Cellular phone, Field

Comm Center

• AVL

System Elements

Early Dispatch Consoles

System Elements

Call Taker Position

Dispatcher Console

System Elements

Enhanced 911 Screen

System Elements

Mobile Communications

Center

System ElementsMedia TVs

Comm Consoles

Emergency Operations Center

Radio Systems• Terminology

– Frequency vs. Band

– Simplex vs. Duplex

– Repeater System

• VHF• UHF

– Most common for emergency medical uses

• 800 megahertz• 900 megahertz

The Past

53

1961 Dispatch Center

The Present & Near Future

Enhanced 911 Screen

Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) & Laptop PC

Medical Priority Dispatching & Prearrival Instructions

Dispatch Center of the Future

Patient Radio Reports

• Communicates Info to Receiving Facility• Allows Receiving Facility to Prepare• Should be:

– Brief, Pertinent Info

– Confidential

– Descriptive of the Patient’s Status

• Requires Practice to Become Proficient