From a small accident or fire to a complex disaster, when an emergency strikes, fast, reliable and accurate communication is needed immediately. No matter the size of the incident, many different emergency organizations may be involved, including emergency call centre personnel, paramedics or firefighters, and healthcare professionals at the hospital.
Effective decision making in emergencies relies on all of these emergency response professionals having access to the right information at the right time. Decisions such as which resources to deploy, which route to take to the scene, and how to prepare the emergency room for the patient’s arrival, are key to a successful outcome.
How does all this information come together in a matter of minutes? With specialized emergency response technology like Omda Paratus. The platform connects the information chain that saves lives in an emergency– from emergency response to mobile units to emergency departments.
Omda Paratus is a series of products that together create one solution for robust and safe emergency response – from daily operations to major incidents. The core products are Paratus Mobile System – a navigation and assignment solution, and Paratus Ambos – a flexible electronic patient care reports (ePCR). Combined with the other Omda Paratus products, such as Paratus Information Board, Paratus Map, Paratus Object Creator and Paratus Admin, they support the full breadth of administration, operational workflows and management activities in an emergency.
– Omda Paratus is unique in supporting and connecting all aspects of the emergency response chain for healthcare and fire service professionals, said Jonas Borgström, Sales Manager at Omda. – It remains one of the only platforms that include both a mobile system and ePCR, creating a reliable and efficient exchange of information between everyone involved in managing an emergency.
First-of-its-Kind Emergency Response System
The first raw code for Omda Paratus was developed in 1999, and just two years later the team secured their first customer, a small fire department in Sweden. Not long after, Jönköping became the first healthcare region to use the Paratus system, including both the mobile and the ePCR products.
Over the next five years, the system took off, quickly gaining customers, functionality and integrations. By 2006, Paratus was winning every health region tender in Sweden.
– Paratus was the first product of its kind for emergency response professionals in Sweden, said Borgström. – Our formula for success lies in being the best at what we do. We deeply understand the emergency response business and what our customers need, and we are uniquely positioned to deliver on it with Omda Paratus.
In 2009, the team launched Paratus Major Incident, which provides support to all levels of a healthcare organization during large and complex incidents, including upper management, local management and management at the scene.
– Paratus was built to work exactly how healthcare and fire organizations work in an emergency, said Borgström. – The products integrate seamlessly with emergency professionals’ legacy systems and communications equipment, with the flexibility to meet any organizational need.
Earlier this year, Omda acquired the Paratus business from Saab, bringing a renewed focus on further developing the platform and expanding its use.
– With a roster of highly satisfied customers, and Omda’s expertise in niche eHealth solutions, we are in a strong position to explore new opportunities and markets, said Borgström.
Connecting the People Who Save Lives
Thanks to its 20-year history of security, reliability and high level of responsiveness, Omda Paratus is the leading emergency management system in Sweden. The platform is used by most municipalities, serving more than half of the country’s population.
Region Östergötland has been using Paratus since 2006 and was a key strategic partner in developing Paratus Major Incident.
– When responding to an incident it is critical that all parties, including ambulance, emergency services and management functions, can follow the patient flow from the site of injury to the hospital, said Joakim Lundin, Business Developer, Ambulance Manager in Emergency Preparedness for Region Östergötland. – Omda Paratus was the missing link that put all of the information together for us.
By sharing information across resources and departments, Omda Paratus delivers better care for patients in the emergency room.
– With Omda Paratus, emergency room professionals are better prepared because they have information about the patient’s injury or disease in advance of their arrival at the hospital, said Lundin. – The system also reduces the risk of errors in high-stress situations by documenting all communication digitally in writing.
The Omda Paratus platform has also helped the region improve the allocation of resources.
–The reports and statistics components of the system are incredibly useful, said Lundin. – Thanks to Paratus Statistics, we have adapted our operating hours so that the ambulances are used more efficiently.
In 2015 Region Skåne, one of the largest regions in Sweden, began using Omda Paratus.
– The Omda Paratus System provides a total solution for information management and is used in all 85 ambulances in the region, said Martin Bengtsson, System Manager for Region Skåne. – The system logs information which is useful for follow-up, and administration of the system is simple and easy.
– The system is also stable and reliable, with quick and professional response from the Omda support team, said Bengtsson.
Leading the Way in Emergency Response Solutions
Today, Omda is the leading provider of emergency response solutions in the Nordics. The company boasts the number one and most comprehensive portfolio pre-hospital solutions in Norway with its AMIS suite of products.
– With the acquisition of the Paratus business, we have added the number one emergency response platform in Sweden to our portfolio, said Glenn Kenneth Bruun, Omda’s Chief Strategy Officer. – Together, the Omda emergency solutions support approximately two million incidents each year in Sweden and Norway.
– Combining the customers, code and competencies of two complementary businesses is part of Omda’s unique approach to mergers and acquisitions, said Bruun. – Integrating the AMIS and Paratus portfolios will strengthen both products, building a platform for continued growth in the emergency services market.
