Notification of incoming patients to the hospital v. Moderate/MCI incident

[JohnnyOV 2]

Sitting here at work in Florida, I'm listening to another bad accident on I-95 with multiple people trapped, 1 DOA and numerous vehicles involved. As I'm listening, the IC is giving numerous updates to the hospitals and dispatch at the same time through a patch, including the number of patients the hospitals can expect, where all the patients are going, expected extrication time, severity of injuries, ambulance they will be arriving on and other important information regarding the patients injuries before the patient is even extricated from the car. This system seems very progressive, and extremely beneficial to the patient.

This is not occurring from the back of the ambulance, which IIRC, is the only system in which the hospital is notified, and that is on a single patient basis.

This system appears to enable to hospital to prepare a lot more for the incoming trauma alerts, and help with patient transfer from ambulance to the hospital, and is run off of a EDACS system. My main question is, is this possible in Westchester with the new trunked system that we have, and if not, what would have to be done to make something like this work?

[helicopper 1,050]

Sitting here at work in Florida, I'm listening to another bad accident on I-95 with multiple people trapped, 1 DOA and numerous vehicles involved. As I'm listening, the IC is giving numerous updates to the hospitals and dispatch at the same time through a patch, including the number of patients the hospitals can expect, where all the patients are going, expected extrication time, severity of injuries, ambulance they will be arriving on and other important information regarding the patients injuries before the patient is even extricated from the car. This system seems very progressive, and extremely beneficial to the patient.

This is not occurring from the back of the ambulance, which IIRC, is the only system in which the hospital is notified, and that is on a single patient basis.

This system appears to enable to hospital to prepare a lot more for the incoming trauma alerts, and help with patient transfer from ambulance to the hospital, and is run off of a EDACS system. My main question is, is this possible in Westchester with the new trunked system that we have, and if not, what would have to be done to make something like this work?

Sounds like an effective system. I'm guessing that they have centralized communications, an interactive radio system, trained and experienced managers, comprehensive SOP's for an MCI, and hospitals that participate in the system. Oh, and no home rule!

With the hospitals in Westchester County also on the trunked system, the technology exists for a similar communications bridge from the field.

[Goose 188]

Isn't 60 control supposed to assist with alerting hospitals and gathering information as to what hospitals can handle what patient volume? I thought i recall hearing that some place...

Sounds like a cool system...you would probably have to call and tell the ER to actually listen to the radio first though

[ny10570 745]

In NYC to simplify the stream of info and to keep from tying up anyone unnecessarily on the hospital end all notifications and transport coordination are handled through our dispatch. Once you have an assessment of your patients, within a minute or two you can have a rundown of who can handle what. At the same time there are regular updates provided by the hospitals to the dispatchers about bed availability for specialties like burns.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Dutchess works out pretty well. From being on both sides of the spectrum being at a scene where we need to alert the hospital, as well as working in the ER that is expecting to receive a certain number of patients, it works out pretty well.

Any agency can call DC911 via phone, or radio, and request that the receiving hospital be given warning of an incoming CPR case, severe trauma (i.e. me working at Saint Francis), or a large scale incident, contaminated pt, etc..... Sometimes, DC911 has gone and alerted our ER of ongoing incidents (cannot speak with or without the request of the IC) and what we might expect. For example, there have been serious MVAs with multiple patients, a few with serious/critical injuries. DC911 has called the ER on a line that few know the number to, and I have aptly nicknamed our "Bat Phone". When it rings, we know it might not be good news on the other end. They also have called us on that line to alert of an medevac incidents in the area. On occasion we have multiple medevac missions either in Dutchess, or in the region, and will give the heads up to us, so we are not all of a sudden inundated with several serious to critical patients. Even if it is multiple BLS patients, to prevent an overwhelming influx via ambulance, its a nice convenience that DC911 offers to the hospitals, and can be a great help!

[JohnnyOV 2]

Sounds like an effective system. I'm guessing that they have centralized communications, an interactive radio system, trained and experienced managers, comprehensive SOP's for an MCI, and hospitals that participate in the system. Oh, and no home rule!

pretty much hit the nail on the head

[helicopper 1,050]

Isn't 60 control supposed to assist with alerting hospitals and gathering information as to what hospitals can handle what patient volume? I thought i recall hearing that some place...

Sounds like a cool system...you would probably have to call and tell the ER to actually listen to the radio first though

Sure 60-Control can do that - if the managers in the field give them the info or ask them to.

[Goose 188]

Sure 60-Control can do that - if the managers in the field give them the info or ask them to.

Yeah, the assumption here is that you requested it the question was is it a service they can and are capable of providing. Thanks.

[Guest BFD196]

This is done at different C-Med's across Connecticut every day. Having worked at Southwest I can tell you it was pretty much the main purpose of us being there. Each area is assigned a coordination channel, when a major incident occurs an incident commander will notify C-Med of the situation and request notification of the hospitals, bed counts, etc. That incident can also be given a dedicated med channel for operations, incident commanders can be patched in to speak with doctors directly if they wish and can coordinate with out of town units easily on the c-med channels. The system is so flexible we could easily patch a Greenwich EMS supervisor(probably even on a portable) on King Street which is the state line, to a doctor at Bridgeport ER to discuss a burn patient. That particular scenario might be a stretch since they would probably transport to Westchester, but it's a good example of what can be done. In addition we would coordinate the notification of mutual aid resources and get them to the scene while working to ensure routine calls in the towns effected could be covered as well.

[NWFDMedic 58]

DC911 has called the ER on a line that few know the number to, and I have aptly nicknamed our "Bat Phone". When it rings, we know it might not be good news on the other end.

You have a bat phone for county and still don't have a medical control line.

Saints is pretty good about providing information about their availability if you ask them. I had 6 leaving from an MVA once to go to Poughkeepsie hospitals and much to my surprise, as I was trying to figure out which ones to split, Saints called back and said they can take all 6. They are also pretty good about having things ready if you call them with what is going to be a trauma code.