Bi-State Region Patient-Tracking System Speeds Emergency Response, Improves Patient Care

Bi-State Region Patient-Tracking System Speeds Emergency Response, Improves Patient Care

St. Louis Area Regional Response System has selected IBM (NYSE: IBM) to provide a new real-time patient tracking system that will improve response times in any emergency, from a simple traffic accident to a large-scale disaster. STARRS is a regional planning organization that helps the bi-state St. Louis area plan and prepare for critical incidents. The region receives federal homeland security funding through the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, STARRS’ fiscal agent.

IBM has developed an innovative system to enable regional first responders to relay patient data from the scene of the incident to hospitals, emergency operations personnel and other authorized public officials in real time. Until recently, local hospitals and first responders communicated via a 30-year-old radio system. Tracking and triaging victims had become challenging.

“In any emergency situation where human lives are at stake, seconds count,” said STARRS Deputy Director Nick Gragnani. “Better medical information provided more quickly means better patient care and more lives saved.”

The emergency patient tracking system will enable first responders to record at the scene of the incident, using mobile data terminals, patient information like medical condition, vital signs and chief injury or illness, as well as the name of the hospital the patient is being transported. A barcode bracelet is then produced and attached to the patient that will draw up their information when it is scanned at the hospital — reducing time consuming paperwork.

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