With the massive migration to electronic Patient Care Reporting platforms (ePCR) from paper run reports, EMS agencies have more decisions to make than just a software vendor. Today, more and more hardware manufacturers are producing rugged tablet and tablet convertible devices that can be used in the pre-hospital setting. With so many options it can be difficult to navigate the specification lists to determine how they all stack up. Here are just a few things you may want to consider when planning your paper to ePCR migration.
All hardware is not equal.
You probably know all the usual computer specification apply to mobile computing. However, given the conditions that these devices are required to endure, you’ll want to pay close attention to the varying levels of “rugged” offered by manufacturers. The U.S. Department of Defense has produced a Military standard (MIL-STD 810F) that rates how well devices hold up under various environmental conditions. These ratings give you an idea of how well the device will hold up against water and shock.
Experience has shown that larger emergency services agencies often require a more ruggedized device. It’s much easier in the rural and smaller departments to keep an eye on equipment and hold personnel accountable for damage; in bigger ones equipment abuse can often get lost in the shuffle.
Invest in the expanded warranty options.
Many high-end equipment manufacturers (such as Panasonic, DRS) offer a “bumper to bumper” warranty for devices. This typically provides for replacement of up to one cracked screen per year and repair for anything else you can throw at the device. Depending on the specifics of the plan, turnaround can be as quickly as 72 hours. Today we see plans available that cover three years and can be offered direct or through a service company sanctioned by the manufactures. If you are purchasing some of the higher end rugged devices, in my opinion this is a MUST HAVE for these purchases. Let’s face it; you’re spending anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 per unit, adding on the warranty serves to cap your repair costs and insures a quick turnaround on devices sent in for service. Over the last several years, we are seeing more and more rugged devices in the lower price ranges of $400-$1000 and they are also offering varying ranges of warranties but check with your manufacture for details.
Always budget for spare devices and keep extra devices on hand for quick swap outs of defective units. I recommend departments keep the equivalent of 10 percent of the total active units available for spares, training and special events. This insures that a pre-imaged device is always available to replace a unit that “fell” off the back of the rig during a call, and minimize manpower since spare units can be kept in prearranged equipment depots that do not require IT staff to deploy.
Consider purchasing certain accessories.
There are a number worth mentioning. For starters, the National Fire Protection Association standards require that all equipment inside an apparatus be secured. Second, when planning for storage of equipment and spare batteries, make sure you’re accounting for vehicle chargers in the process as well; an often overlooked detail. Also, consider the call volume of individual units to gauge the proper equipment and processes to put in place for continued use under maximum call volumes. Lastly, if your devices utilize digital pens or styluses I would recommend purchasing a set number of digitized pen replacements per year in the field providers’ uniform budgets. These pens can easily get lost and cost on average about $28 apiece depending on features.
With so many areas to cover this is just the tip of the iceberg in planning a deployment. Taking into consideration these factors will streamline the process and help achieve a smooth migration from paper to ePCR.
Josh Austin is the Director of Information Technology for OPEN Inc., makers of the SafetyPAD®software Suite of products for Fire and Emergency Medical Services. He can be reached at jaustin@safetypad.com.
