Modern ambulance comms

[scanmanmi]

I used to be an EMT in the 80's and here's what we had. Of course we had a rig radio with pushbuttons for PLs for 155.34 to the hospital. We also had a jump kit with a headset that went to a repeater in the rig. We used to send EKGs as a low audible tone that got graphed at the hospital (so we tried not to talk when transmitting EKGs). Just wondering how things have changed. I know they can do voice from anywhere on MPSCS.

 

[Nasby]

Cell phones.

155.340 was busy into the early 1990's but is now non existent in my area.

 

[jonwienke]

EKGs are now sent as digital data.

 

[pinballwiz86]

EKGs are now sent as digital data.

Cellular? They sure aren't sending it out on analog/P25.

 

[ofd8001]

There is still a lot of voice traffic in our area. In the Louisville area the traffic is encrypted on new system. Every now and then you'll hear an outlying ambulance or medical helicopter call-in for medical control on "older" frequencies.

Many ambulances use air cards for data transfer, which would include EKG.

 

[W8RMH]

In my area (central Ohio) they use regular P25 talk groups, each hospital has their own, and do a report on every trip to the hospital. Don't know how EKGs are sent.

 

[KB7MIB]

In the Phoenix, AZ metro area, ambulance to hospital comms are mostly via cell phones, although paramedics with the various departments and districts under the Phoenix FD RDC, if not the private ambulance medics as well, have access to encrypted talkgroups on the Regional Wireless Cooperative P25 system, as well.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS, Highway Patrol) used to maintain the statewide EMSCOM system, which included numerous repeaters statewide on the UHF medical band channels. They discontinued that system several years ago due to little use being made of it.

John
Peoria, AZ

 

[SteveC0625]

Around here, most ambulance to hospital comms are still on 155.340 or 155.400, or they're done by cell phone. EKG data is generally sent via cell phone, but depending on the choice of EKG monitor and vendor, many of them use the vendor's host to send the data by fax and/or email direct to the hospitals. We use Zoll's RescueNet. The data goes from the monitor over wifi in the ambulance to a hotspot. The hotspot connects to Zoll's host, and then, based on customer choices, the data is sent on to the hospital (and other destinations) by either fax or email.

No more lugging a BioPhone or Apcor around!

 

[joncleve]

Here in my county, western NC, ambulance/trauma units use 155.340 most of the time for ambulance to hospital communications, although they use our state P25 system also. EKG's are sent via cell/internet through a system called LifeNet.

 

[garys]

No, it's data over the cell network. Two way radio data speeds are way too slow to send 12 lead EKGs and associated data. PCRs are also uploaded over either the cell network or in some cases in building WiFi.

Cellular? They sure aren't sending it out on analog/P25.

 

[lmrtek]

I still maintain 155.34 radios at hospitals but most have made the mistake of putting all their eggs in the state wide p25 money pit.
Rural VFDs still rely on 155.34 since the UHF digital system doesn't cover well in their areas and many can't afford the ongoing P25 money pit fees.
Cell coverage is also spotty at best in these areas so VHF is literally their life line.
Back before all the Motorola bribe money hit the area, we covered entire counties with ONE 39 mhz base.
Today, they have 9 half million dollar tower sites and there are still dead spots.
The electricity the P25 equipment consumes costs more than the total maintenance cost of the old system in a year.

Progress?

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

In my area of California, EMS is dispatched on standard analog UHF and hospital call-ins are either the same analog UHF system or you can call in on the a hotline. No EKG transmission because only paramedics use monitors and they can interpret and treat on their own.

 

[KB7MIB]

In my area of California, EMS is dispatched on standard analog UHF and hospital call-ins are either the same analog UHF system or you can call in on the a hotline. No EKG transmission because only paramedics use monitors and they can interpret and treat on their own.

Yea, I should have mentioned that medics here follow a SOP in the field, and are pre-authorized to administer most any drug or perform most any procedure, and don't really need to contact a doctor at a hospital, except for unusual circumstances, or once in awhile you may hear a request to dispatch to make a courtesy notification to a destination hospital that they're enroute.

John
Peoria, AZ

 

[scanmanmi]

Yea, I should have mentioned that medics here follow a SOP in the field, and are pre-authorized to administer most any drug or perform most any procedure, and don't really need to contact a doctor at a hospital, except for unusual circumstances,

or Lawyer

or once in awhile you may hear a request to dispatch to make a courtesy notification to a destination hospital that they're enroute.

John
Peoria, AZ