Expert Panel White Paper on Future EMS Communications Needs by NPSTC – NASEMSO - NAEMSP Kevin McGinnis, MPS, EMT-P Communications Technology Advisor National Association of State EMS Officials National Association of EMS Physicians National Association of EMTs National Association of EMS Educators

Purpose Utilizing an expert panel format, to present possible future Emergency Medical Services (EMS) diagnostic and treatment modalities and their implications for bandwidth and other communications resources.

EMS Communications Now Narrowband Land Mobile Mission Critical Voice And Limited Telemetry –VHF/UHF/700 MHz/800 MHz Commercial Voice and Limited Telemetry Services –Telephone and Cell Services Broadband –3G Commercial Wireless Data/Municipal WiFi & MESH Systems (Unlicensed 2.4 GHz) Lack Mission Critical Reliability Lack Public Safety Priority Lack Patient Security Lack Wide Area Coverage in Rural Areas

EMS Needs Improved Communications Technology

What We Lack Situational Awareness (SA) –Events –Resources Common Operating Picture (COP) –First Responders/Ambulance Responders –Rescue/Extrication Responders –Air-Medical Responders –Hospital/Specialty Center Staff Rural & Community Paramedicine Communications

What We Need for SA & COP More Than Voice Communications Network of Data Bases –Resource Status –Events Status –Adequate Bandwidth to Push/Pull/Park Data: Voice Other (Complex Biotelemetry, Video, Images) GIS-Based User Interfaces –PDA, MDU, Desktop –Real-Time Resource/Event Updating

Other Predicted Technologies –Stand Off VS Monitoring – IR Crowd Disease Detection –Portable CT (Images) –Portable US (Video & Images)

Other Predicted Technologies –Medical Quality & Other Video (esp. Comm. Para.) –Multi-Vital Signs Transmission –Multiple Patient Monitoring (MCI) –Multiple Responder VS Monitoring

Other Predicted Technologies –Portable In-Building Bi-directional Repeating –Wireless Speech to Text Translation –AACN Data Distribution to Response Units –GIS Based User Interfaces for Resource and Event Monitoring –Wireless Vehicle Systems Monitoring –Wireless Vehicle Equipment and Supply Inventory Monitoring

Other Predicted Technologies − EMS Based Routine Patient Monitoring − Automated Dispatching Based on Monitored Patients and Vehicles − Audio/video/data Interfaces with “I’ve fallen” Systems − Audio/Video/Image/Data Interfaces with “Just in Time” Training and Operational/Medical References − Access to Searchable Patient Records/Images/Data − Real-Time Extrication Hazards Alerting Based on AACN Including Video/Images as Necessary − Syndromic Surveillance and Quick Alerting to Specific Populations − Physician Mediated Interface Between EMS Dispatch, EMS Crews and Nurse Call Centers

Stuck: –Bandwidth Implications of the Above –May Publish and Finish Without

EMS Communications - Future Narrowband Land Mobile Mission Critical Voice –VHF/UHF/700 MHz/800 MHz Commercial Voice Services –Telephone and Cell Services Broadband –Nationwide 4G Shared Public Safety/Commercial Wireless Data Network and Links to Fiber Networks Mission Critical Redundancy & Reliability Public Safety Priority Patient Security Wide Area Coverage in Rural Areas via Roaming, Satellite and Wireless/Fiber Links