49.78 (+0.61) New Approach
Catastrophic events can happen anywhere at any time, producing scores of casualties. An event might be a natural disaster such as a flood or tornado, a building collapse or high-rise fire, a multi-vehicle pile-up on the interstate, or in these ominous times, a terrorist attack.
When a mass casualty incident (MCI) occurs, a host of organizations – including fire and emergency medical services, police, hospital emergency room managers, doctors, nurses and emergency management agencies – spring into action. They assess the situation, perform triage and provide immediate medical attention to the injured, manage transport of victims to area hospitals and respond to calls from friends and families inquiring about the condition and whereabouts of their loved ones.
To help emergency management organizations and hospitals manage resources more effectively in order to provide quicker patient treatment and more timely and accurate information to worried family members, Raytheon created the Electronic Patient Tracking System (EPTS).
The Electronic Patient Tracking System is an information technology (IT) solution that facilitates triage, treatment, and transport of victims. The system automates the collection and dissemination of patient information and status through use of patient medical identification tags containing bar codes with the patient’s location, medical status, and personal records. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) transfer this information via a wireless connection to a Web-enabled, secure database. The database provides hospitals and emergency personnel with patients’ information. Centralized patient information allows authorities to balance resources and minimize hospital overcrowding.
The result is a more efficient MCI management system that increases MCI survival rates.