Phelps Hospital begins using Twiage tool to speed up emergency communications

Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow has begun using Twiage, a new mobile communications tool that is designed to help emergency medical services (EMS) and the hospital”™s emergency department (ED) communicate vital information more accurately and quickly before a patient arrives at the hospital.

According to the hospital, EMS personnel have been using a cell phone or radio to relay information about an incoming patient to a call center or directly to the ED. Twiage is designed to send alerts five to 10 minutes earlier than a typical phone or radio call.

“As an ER doctor for more than 25 years, timely and accurate information is critical to saving the life of an incoming patient,” said Dr. Barry Geller, chairman of the emergency department at Phelps Hospital. “Twiage allows EMS personnel to send photos, EKGs, or videos in real-time allowing our emergency medical unit to be better prepared ahead of when a patient arrives. We are in the business of saving lives and this is a powerful tool that I”™m excited to have at our disposal.”