The PDRC works seamlessly with other Toughbook mobile computers, providing a secure and ergonomic system for transferring mission-critical data in the field.  In addition, the PDRC also helps broaden the functionality of ultra-mobile devices to include activities like writing detailed reports.  Public safety users also have the ability to mount the PDRC independently from the connected Toughbook mobile computer for easy viewing and access.

Take a look at this recent post for more info about how one agency, the Tulsa Police Department, is utilizing PDRCs with rugged Toughbook U1 handhelds.   If you’re attending the APCO International Annual Conference in Houston next week, be sure to stop by the Panasonic booth (#923) to see the new PDRC as well.

Check out Castle Rock’s story after the jump, and we also welcome any experiences you’d like to share with us.

How Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Uses the Toughbook 30 and High Plains ePCR software to streamline processes

The Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department protects the lives and property of 51,000 Colorado residents. In 2002, Castle Rock decided to ease the burden on its EMTs and paramedics by upgrading their emergency call documentation system.

Prior to the technology upgrade, its paramedics relied on pen and paper notes that had to be transcribed on computers back at their station. This system presented significant challenges, such as incomplete information due to the difficulty of recalling every detail of a patient’s care.

A Winning Combination

Castle Rock began addressing these challenges by equipping their medic vehicles with fully-rugged Panasonic Toughbook® 30 mobile computers loaded with ePCR software from High Plains Information Systems.

The Toughbook 30 protects precious data with a magnesium alloy case and shock-mounted hard drive. The daylight-readable touchscreen and embedded mobile broadband capabilities also make it easy for EMTs and paramedics to file their reports from anywhere, at any time.

High Plains Information Systems provides a complete, fully-integrated fire records management system (RMS) that addresses nearly every aspect of a fire department’s operation, from incident and patient care reporting to scheduling and payroll.

Norris Croom, Division Chief of Operations at Castle Rock Fire and Rescue, has noticed a vast improvement in efficiency since implementing the solutions. “Prior to this procedure, it was taking 25-30 minutes after they returned to complete paperwork, and now it takes just a couple of minutes to wirelessly upload a report,” said Croom. “We are saving approximately 20 minutes per emergency call, and with more than 2,000 EMS calls per year, that time definitely adds up.”

Helping Every Touchpoint in the Healthcare System

The streamlined process has also increased efficiency at Sky Ridge Medical Center, the primary hospital receiving Castle Rock’s patients. Paramedics can easily create a detailed patient care report from their emergency vehicle while en route.

“From a legal perspective, if it wasn’t recorded, it didn’t happen,” said Dr. Steve Heinz, Physician Advisor for Castle Rock Fire and Rescue at Sky Ridge. “This system helps us streamline our process, eliminate errors and deliver the best possible overall care to patients.”

To read more about Castle Rock Fire and Rescue’s deployment, click here.

According to JEMS, whose product review team selects the winners, its Hot Products represent “the most innovative, functional and potentially life-saving products to come onto the (EMS) market in the past six months.”

JEMS’ reviewers found that the fully-rugged mobile clinical assistant (MCA) “truly meets the demands and ever-changing needs of EMS providers” through its long battery life, integrated Gobi technology, dual hot-swappable batteries and a daylight-viewable screen.  These advances are “critical to maximizing EMS responders’ efficiency and productivity while protecting vital patient data.”

You can find the Toughbook H1 and other Hot Products winners profiled in the June 2009 issue of JEMS Magazine.

Having rugged Toughbook notebooks en route and at the scene enables the FDNY to respond quicker and with more information than they’ve ever had, including a seamless link to other local and federal agencies during major incidents and disasters.