NetMotion Wireless has announced that it has been selected by Bell Ambulance to enable seamless roaming and data connectivity for its mobile emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Bell provides both emergency and non-emergency ambulance services to residents in its community. The company responds to an average of nearly 5,000 ambulance calls per month, employs nearly 200 EMTs and paramedics and has a fleet of more than 40 ambulances, including several modified golf cart "mini ambulances" used for festivals, fairs, and baseball games.
Bell Ambulance has deployed tablet PCs in their ambulances and utilizes software to complete patient care reports which are then synchronized with dispatch and billing applications. Bell's EMT staff uses NetMotion's mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) software, Mobility XE(TM), to stay connected to critical applications, roam seamlessly between multiple wireless networks, and maintain applications even when moving in and out of wireless coverage areas.
"The goal of our wireless deployment is to provide EMTs and paramedics easy and secure access to patient information and, at the same time, to allow the staff to focus on their primary job, which is patient care," said Steve Caulfield, Bell Ambulance network administrator. "NetMotion's software enables our IT staff to reduce the number of administrative hours spent on device management and security issues. It also allows us to limit what the end users are able to connect to and view via the Internet. With fewer distractions they can deliver faster, higher quality care."
"Bell Ambulance's paramedics need fast and secure access to patient data when responding to emergency calls," said Pam Cory, vice president of marketing, NetMotion Wireless. "Mobility XE provides Bell Ambulance the peace of mind that their applications will stay secure and connected no matter where their duties take them."
For healthcare providers, NetMotion's software provides a secure connection to patient records across numerous wireless networks, assisting health organizations with maintaining HIPAA compliance. NetMotion software also helps IT administrators keep their mobile operations safe and reliable with proactive network and device checks for operating system updates, anti-virus, spyware, and more. Should a device be reported lost or stolen, the mobile VPN can quarantine it, preventing network access until that device is recovered.
Throughout North America and Europe, more than 35,000 mobile workers in the healthcare industry are using Mobility XE on their wireless devices. Beyond ambulance services, NetMotion's mobile VPN is deployed by hospitals, medical centers, home healthcare groups, medical device manufacturing companies, and other healthcare organizations.