Coronavirus: Premier Health using existing tech to help potentially infected patients

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DAYTON — Premier Health updates their paramedic app to allow crews to alert the hospital if a patient is showing coronavirus symptoms.

The app, Pulsera, was previously only used for stroke patients, until Premier Health adapted the way it uses the app.

“You put in just general patient information, you hit send, and it goes to the ER physicians,” said Lt. John Russell of the Huber Heights Fire Department.

Russell said the app speeds up communication so paramedics can focus on patients.

“The beautiful part about it is I don’t have to be on the phone,” said Russell. “I can still be doing patient care.”

The app also benefits the emergency room.

“It just allows us to have a heads up much earlier in the process,” said Emergency and Trauma Services vice president Candy Skidmore. “If we need to provide any direction or mobilize any teams inside as far as putting on personal protective equipment or directing a patient to a particular room.”

This is all in effort to keep the patients and health care workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.