December 21, 2006 during Go-Live Production

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter from the back of Medic 11 as we return from our third call of the day. After years of hard work by the Medtronic Steering Committee, countless unrecognised hours of technical support by the Wishard IT Team, and much painstaking work by the MEDUSA staff, the Lifenet EMS Electronic Reporting System is up and being tested in Marion and Hamilton Counties. This is the first system anywhere in the United States like this.

I sit in awe and watch the Medic 11 crew, that after 4 hours of training, fly through the report coming up with less than 5 required fields. Shortly after arriving at the ER the crew sends their report to the fax machine and then is back in service. With each run the crew has become more proficient and fluid with the software and they have begun to find their groove with it.

While I am trying to be cautiously optimistic (because this is the first true test if the software) so far what I have seen is outstanding! We know that this is still a beta project and there will be some issues, it is exciting to see it working like it should.

Ladies and gentlemen, the future of EMS has arrived. Marion and Hamilton County EMS agencies are now on the cutting edge of technology and the bleeding edge of EMS.

I want to personally thank everyone who has had a part in this project. Without their dedication and support this day would never have arrived.

Tom Arkins
CQI Coordinator Wishard EMS
Marion County, Indianapolis