This tech partnership is about saving lives

Photo courtesy of St John

St John and Samsung are working on technology projects to improve operations in ambulances and clinical contact centres.

“Technology has a significant role to play in enhancing patient care and the working lives of our staff and volunteers,” says St John CEO Peter Bradley, on the significance of the partnership.

Kenny Yeon, managing director of Samsung New Zealand, says the two organisations have a shared vision of improving lives through technology. “St John has an innovative strategy for integrating technology into their services.”

Technology has a significant role to play in enhancing patient care and the working lives of our staff and volunteers. Peter Bradley, St John

Initially, the work will centre on St John’s needs in the technology space, with Samsung’s hardware and systems expertise being implemented to improve services, productivity and connectivity.

“This partnership will help the ICT team to enhance service delivery and increase efficiently while improving patient service with timely and accurate information,” says James Allison, senior IT executive at St John.

Peter Hoskin, operations subject matter expert at St John New Zealand shows a preview of the new electronic patient report forms that are scheduled to be rolled out next year.

St John uses Samsung tablets for Mobile Data Terminals in ambulance and operational vehicles and this hardware will also be used for electronic patient report forms (ePRF) which we are looking to start piloting mid-August, says Allison. “This will become a platform from which we can launch other innovations in emergency services and health care.”

This will become a platform from which we can launch other innovations in emergency services and health care. James Allison, St John

St John CEO Peter Bradley and Managing Director of Samsung NZ Kenny Yeon with two St John paramedics.

Using the smart devices, ambulance officers can forward patient information electronically to an emergency department, specialist or GP – all while on the road.

Samsung technology will also be used in St John Clinical Control Centres in Auckland and Christchurch. The centres will feature curved monitors that are designed to mimic the natural curvature of the eye, and offer an immersive and more comfortable workstation, says Samsung.

Samsung tablets will be used by ambulance officers as part of a new electronic system designed to replace handwritten clinical notes.

St John ambulance officers treat and transport more than 425,000 patients a year. It runs community and commercial programmes that includefirst aid training, health shuttle services, Friends of the Emergency Department Caring Caller telephone service, monitored medical alarms, Outreach Therapy Pets and the St John Youth Programme.

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