March 28, 2005
Contact:
Sue Baker, Mayor’s Office
738-2000
For Immediate Release
Maria Gil, ER Card
822-1181
Brian Wallin, Kent Hospital
737-7010, ext. 1395
Avedisian, Kent Hospital and ER Card officials unveil new medical information technology
The collaborative effort is the first of its kind in Rhode Island
WARWICK – Mayor Scott Avedisian, Kent Hospital President Dr. Robert Baute, Emergency Department Director Dr. Robert Dinwoodie and Maria Gil and Janice Gil, co-owners of ER Card, joined Warwick Fire Department and MIS officials this morning to unveil and demonstrate state-of-the-art technology that will further enhance emergency medical treatment for patients.
Working cooperatively, ER Card representatives, Warwick Fire Rescue Lieutenant Henrik Dunlaevy, Ray McKay of the city’s MIS Division, and technicians from Purvis Systems installed wireless computer technology that will allow medical information provided through the ER Card program to interface with laptops installed in all Warwick rescue vehicles. This program will allow EMTs to import, and have instant access to, information such as allergies, medications, chronic medical conditions, insurance information, emergency contacts, name, address and date of birth, of patients.
“The City of Warwick and Kent Hospital have long enjoyed a cooperative working relationship to proactively address patient needs and issues,” Avedisian said. “Two years ago, the city and Kent Hospital welcomed the ER Card program to Warwick, with remarkable success. This free program – which is growing by leaps and bounds – provides another valuable health care service to our senior citizens. It also allows health care personnel to access medical information that is critical in ensuring that patients receive the most effective care possible. Allowing wireless access to this information is an important next step in our collective efforts.”
“EMTs having wireless access to patient medical information is just not happening anyplace that we know of,” Gil said. “Mayor Avedisian deserves a lot of credit. He has taken the lead as an advocate for shared electronic medical information, whenever it’s needed. The ER Card allows first responders, case managers, professional caregivers ad hospital personnel to do just that – share medical information electronically. Mayor Avedisian ‘talks the talk’ and ‘walks the walk.’ Others would do well to follow his lead.”
Noting that the hospital embraced the concept of the ER Card from its inception, Kent President and CEO Dr. Robert E. Baute said, "Our core mission mandates that we work to enhance the well-being of our community. We were delighted to be the test site for the ER Card at the time of its inception and have worked closely with other organizations in the community since then to promote the value of this type of service.”
Kent Hospital Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Robert Dinwoodie said that accurate medical information available as fast as possible can speed the onset of treatment. “Continuously updated information, such as that contained in the ER Card data base, allows us to accomplish that goal more effectively. The fact that it will now be accessible to Warwick EMS units in the field will further enhance this process.”
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Note: An informational sheet regarding the ER Card program is attached.