When contacting 995 for medical assistance, Singaporeans can now expect the call-taker to request for the patient’s NRIC number, if available.
This is part of the new workflow with the implementation of the Operational Medical Networks Informatics Integrator (OMNII) system – a collaborative effort between the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Ministry of Health (MOH), and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).
The OMNII system will allow SCDF paramedics to access the patient’s selected medical records from the database using their NRIC, giving them a better understanding of the patient’s medical history. As a measure of ensuring data safety, paramedics will only have access to essential details of the patient’s health condition.
Through OMNII, paramedics can transmit clinical information and updates to the hospital in real-time
Other changes to expect include:
- Paramedics being able to take photos or videos of the patient’s injury or the accident scene, to aid with the telemedicine consultation with the emergency doctor en route to the hospital
- SCDF paramedics can pre-register critical cases to enable the emergency department to prepare for the patient’s arrival – allowing the hospital to prepare controlled drugs, and pre-order procedures such as CT scans or X-rays
Once the patient’s records have been uploaded into the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR), which would be accessible throughout their care, paramedics will purge the data from the OMNII system to protect their data once the case is closed.
Using OMNII, there is improved accuracy of information when the case is handed over to the hospital’s emergency staff
With the introduction of OMNII, the public can expect that emergency care will be administered faster with the new changes to the way SCDF ambulances and emergency departments in hospitals coordinate.
Both parties have gained a digital platform that allows them to view, document, and share patient data in real-time – therein improving a casualty’s survivability as more preparation time is given to the hospital team.
