State unveils new emergency system linking hospitals

In the event of a disaster or terrorist attack, Missouri now has a statewide, Internet-based communications system linking hospitals, major metropolitan emergency services providers, local public health agencies and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

According to a news release from the Missouri Hospital Association, Gov. Bob Holden and other state officials unveiled the new system, called the EMSystem, on Oct. 14 at University Hospital in Columbia.

The communications network allows users to communicate in real time their abilities to manage various levels of casualties. If ground-based communications lines are damaged or overloaded, the system uses satellite-based Internet telecommunications as back-up.

The Missouri Hospital Association is funding the $219,000 initial start-up costs, while an additional $179,000 for its second year of operation is coming from federal bioterrorism funds allocated to Missouri. If federal funding is not available in future years, state hospitals and other users will pay annual fees of about $500 to $1,000.

The system also will help hospitals update and monitor ambulance diversions, and facilitate public health alerts and treatment information throughout the state.

The EMSystem was first implemented in St. Louis in January 2001. It is now in operation at Missouri's 142 hospitals and 32 local public health agencies.

"To the best of our knowledge, Missouri is the first state in the nation to link all its hospitals, emergency services providers and key government health agencies with a communications system of this kind," said William C. Schoenhard, chair of the MHA Board of Trustees and chief operating officer of SSM Health Care in St. Louis.