URIEMS undergoes technological makeover

The Good 5 Cent Cigar

By Michael Nadeau

If you look around campus technology is everywhere. Technology is part of the dining halls, the athletic department and library. Even the simplest and most mundane tasks are now performed with technology. The University of Rhode Island will take another small step forward with a new URIEMS computerized system.

Over the past few months, the University of Rhode Island Emergency Medical Services created and implemented a new computerized system, Tangent 8, which will help them electronically perform several tasks. These tasks, which were previously completed manually and were time consuming, are now handled by the new system.

Former URIEMS Lieutenant Jeffrey Tagen, through his self-run company, created the new computerized system.

"It's an amazing system," Commander Robert T. Hart said.

The system is able to keep track of several different things such as medical runs, personnel statistics, shift scheduling, internal incidents, equipment maintenance, service training, shift scheduling, internal notices and more.

"We've been testing the system piece by piece over the last few months and it's now up and running," Hart said.

The computer-based system can also be used for keeping permanent records for URIEMS. "It's a great thing for URI because it logs all of our runs and stats," Hart said. "It helps us give the university a good report."

The ability to log runs and other important statistics allows URIEMS to learn about trends on campus, Hart said. If a particular area has repeated accidents that are continually reported to URIEMS, its members can notify the university. Through these efforts, URIEMS can help the department of safety and risk management by alerting them of hazardous areas.

"It enables us to have our data together and work better with the community," Hart said. The system can also track equipment and complete its internal inventory so the organization has an idea of what it needs for the following year, Hart said.

Hart said the new system is helpful and current members of URIEMS are responding positively to it. "They love it because they can do everything from their home," Hart said. Members can check their training hours, which is much easier than lugging around a portfolio with their information.

"It makes things competitive," Hart said. A monthly report can be printed out and shows what each EMS member did. "It was fun to see them talk about who had more runs and things like that," Hart said. The system has ultimately made paperwork almost obsolete.

The system is in use now, but it is flexible. "It's up and running, but I can see more things being added to the system," Hart said. "We hope to one day have laptops in the URIEMS ambulances and have them connected to the system."

Things are much more efficient and reliable when they are done electronically and onsite, Hart said.