Group of North Jersey high school students working to make EMT job easier
HACKENSACK — Imagine being an EMT who is attending to an accident victim, taking vital signs, deciding a course of treatment and writing it all down while possibly dealing with a language barrier en route to an emergency room.
Not easy, but help may soon be on its way thanks to a group of high school seniors.
SmartChart, a computer program developed by a group of Bergen County Academies students, is designed to maximize time for hands-on patient care for emergency medical technicians and paramedics. The effort was led by senior William Song of Fort Lee and classmate Giacomo Pugliese of Glen Rock.
"We are aspiring medical students and a year ago the two of us became certified EMTs," Song said. "Using our experience as EMTs and our knowledge of computers we designed an EMT-assisting web app called SmartChart."
The program, which can be installed on laptops or cell phones, is paired with a Deployable Medical Assistance Case. Together the technology does the following:
Take vital signs and transmit them to computerized forms such as the Prehospital Care Report;
Use verbal dictation or typing to enter patient status details in computerized forms, even digitizing handwritten notes;
Analyzes patient condition and makes treatment suggestions based on status data entered;
Provide language translation so EMT and patient can communicate;
Provide directions to the closest appropriate medical facility if the crew is working in unfamiliar territory;
Provide a computerized version of completed forms that can be emailed to the emergency room upon arrival, while retaining a copy for the ambulance company.
"The overarching goal is for EMTs to be able to care for their patient as quickly and confidently as possible," Pugliese said. "Many EMTs lose time and efficiency taking rushed and disorganized handwritten patient reports. We hope SmartChart will eventually be connected directly to hospital charting systems so the transfer of patient data is even more seamless."
SmartChart is different from patient-history computerized programs such as MyChart, Song said.
"MyChart would only cover the patient's medical background, and that information is reserved exclusively for someone like a patient's physician," Song said. "An EMT must report the patient's current vitals and a narrative of exactly what happened, both of which the EMT can only take on-site."
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Assisting the two were fellow students Wilson Dhalwani of Midland Park, Sachit Tumuluri of Park Ridge, Justin Zhang of Ridgewood and Rohan Joshi of Glen Rock.
While the founders are members of the Academy of Medical Science and Technology, Academies Superintendent Howard Lerner credits the group with developing the program independently of their curriculum.
"Giacomo and Will asked me about this last year, but frankly I just gave a few suggestions and they've done this project on their own outside of school," said teacher German Sabio.
Glen Rock EMT Nicolas Maga reviewed the program and found it "an amazing tool that can significantly enhance" the work of EMTs.
"Usually a decent chunk of time is spent taking vitals and documenting patient information," Maga said. "But with SmartChart that time can be reduced so we can begin treating the patient earlier. I also believe it can help us make critical decisions more confidently when facing high-pressure situations."
The students have received a provisional patent for their creation, and are in the process of obtaining the patent, Song said.
"Once, we receive the patent we hope to proceed in our next step of bringing the physical product to market," Song said.
For more information on SmartChart visit smartchart.streamlit.app, or email William Song at Wilson24@bergen.org.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Group of North Jersey students work to make job of an EMT easier
