Implementation of an Electronic Interdisciplinary EMS Safety Innovation and Knowledge Transfer platform

Introduction

Knowledge transfer across diverse, yet interdependent disciplines is an increasing challenge for increasingly specialized academic and policy fabric in society. Platforms for sharing current interdisciplinary information, practice, policy and research are present in variable degrees of sophistication across some fields of science, engineering and healthcare. Such platforms are not well developed in Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Objective: To design and implement a purpose developed platform for interdisciplinary knowledge transfer in EMS systems safety.

Methods

EMS services seeking safety innovation and state of the art safety information were identified along with published experts in a spectrum of technical disciplines related to the delivery EMS services. An electronic virtual environment was established to create an end user driven forum, guided by technical expertise in knowledge transfer, and the specific technical fields that pertained to EMS, intended to embrace a broad spectrum of EMS environments and operations. Its structure utilizes electronic VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) and ‘Webinar' technology as a primary communication platform with subsequent electronic access to presentation recordings and handouts.

Results

The EMS Safety Foundation, launched March 2008, is maintained by an interdisciplinary management team utilizing a free standing user friendly interactive Webinar program. Over 200 members are active in the foundation. Webinars are conducted via secure access every 8 weeks, from sites around the USA and internationally, addressing topic areas identified to be gaps in knowledge. Both real-time and asynchronous access is a increasing with 6,343 accesses of the introductory information, with 64,163 accesses overall from 5,479 distinct addresses. Resultant changes in practice and policy are being evaluated

Conclusion

Establishment of a sustained interdisciplinary forum for knowledge transfer through a virtual access network has been achieved with increasing interest and activity. Involvement is secure access and has been demonstrated to be accessible to a spectrum of end users.