Can Real-Time Prehospital Medical Record Data Presented on A Screen Enhance Team Readiness in the Emergency Department? A Pilot Study

Background Emergency Medical Services (EMS) continuously document treatment and patient condition information in the electronic prehospital medical record (ePMR) during care. Only selected information is communicated via telephone to the emergency department (ED) and the waiting ED team, potentially leading to loss of valuable information. Objectives To pilot-test whether implementing real-time, screen-based access to prehospital medical records before patient arrival enhances the ED team’s readiness. Methods Pilot study of implementing wall-mounted screens connected to the ePMR system in the ED trauma rooms in the North Denmark Regional Hospital. Three months before and four months after implementation, we measured the overall self-reported readiness of the ED team by questionnaires. The readiness rating was based on a visual analogue scale (VAS 0–15) and three sub-questions. Results We included 393 questionnaires (traumas N = 199, medical emergencies N = 194) corresponding to capture of 46% (141/307) of all events. For all questionnaires combined, overall readiness increased from a median of 7.1 (IQR 6.5–12.9) to 12.8 (IQR 9.7–14), p < 0.001. Stratified by event type, results persisted. Trauma: 7.1 (6.8–12.7) to 13.4 (9–14), p < 0.001; medical emergency: 7.1 (5.7–12.9) to 12.2 (9.7–13.9), p < 0.001. Conclusions Measured by questionnaires, we found that easy access to real-time EMS patient data, visualized on a screen in the trauma room before receiving patients with traumas or medical emergencies, significantly increases the overall self-reported readiness of the ED team members. Trial registration None.