ITS and Transportation Safety: EMS System Data Integration to Improve Traffic Crash Emergency Response and Treatment

This investigation is in response to the requirement for Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSPs), legislated by SAFETEA-LU, to address the need for data systems to allow for evidence-based safety planning. This study evaluates the use of information systems and intelligent transportation systems across the emergency response continuum of care to vehicle crash emergencies. Organizations that participate in the emergency response process often have siloed IT systems and are not able to share data with other agencies and organizations. An integrated system to produce data for real-time decision making and holistic performance and clinical analysis currently does not exist, but has the potential to improve emergency response and patient care. Proposed in this study is an Integrated Crash Trauma Information Network (ICTN) to allow for integrated information exchange. This study uses data collected from prior studies conducted in Minnesota, a literature review, case studies in Minnesota, and an in-depth analysis of the benefits of linking IT systems, the SHSP, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), 911, Trauma systems, and health information systems. A case study analysis was conducted across three overlapping dimensions to assess current challenges and potential benefits to integrated information sharing: operational, organizational, and governance. The study found potential health provision and data analysis benefits to integrated information sharing and posited a normative architecture to guide the design of systems to better use and analyze crash data. The design and development of a “proof of concept” system is recommended for the next phase of research.