For Immediate Release: 
July 11, 2005
   

STACHOWSKI & WREMS TEAM UP
FOR NEW COMMUNICATION PROJECT

New York State Senator Bill Stachowski, in conjunction with the Western Regional Emergency Medical Services Corporation (WREMS) today unveiled a new computer based communication system designed to improve emergency medical system capability assessment and inter-hospital communications regarding potential or ongoing mass casualty events. The communication system, called MedLinx, has been jointly developed between WREMS and Ecology and Environment, utilizing a $40,000 state grant secured by Senator Stachowski.

“I’ve always felt that Western New York needed a system in place which would offer hospitals a communication platform that would come into play in the event of a catastrophic incident. With MedLinx the hospitals would have real-time data available as to capacity, admission status and staffing at each facility” the Senator explained. “MedLinx permits hospitals to report and post, in real time, their capability to respond to emergency medical conditions, such as a chemical release or a terrorist action. In the event of a health emergency, Emergency Operations Centers in all eight WNY counties will have access to health system status, allowing them to make more informed incident management decisions.”

MedLinx is based upon web communications and utilizes desktop computers placed in emergency departments of all the regions hospitals. Craig Thrasher, the MedLinx Project Manager, said that the system will also make available an inter-hospital bulletin board, important  information about the treatment and decontamination of individuals that may have been exposed to chemical and/or biological agents, along with the coordination and response of local HAZMAT units.

Casey Czamara, CEO of WREMS, noted that his agency is a not-for-profit corporation funded by New York State to enhance the delivery of emergency medical services in the eight county WNY region. WREMS works closely with the emergency service coordinators of all the counties, as well as the recently formed WNY Public Health Alliance to improve training, communications, and quality assurance of delivered patient care. “MedLinx has been designed to relieve emergency department personnel of some time consuming duties while making more information available to the individual emergency departments. Good communication is key to proper response” he said. “MedLinx is the tool we need to communicate, respond, and treat.”