EMS Speech is a mobile app concept designed for medics to provide a more efficient, thorough data collection process. Using voice recognition, the medics would simply be able to timestamp their events in real time, while on scene, without having to take out their phones. This would allow them to focus their attention on their patients, while at the same time, help them collect important information for their documentation process.

The project started with interviews with medics from the Philadelphia Fire Department. The goal was to understand their needs and problem areas. The results of the interviews showed that while on scene, important information was being recorded on little notepads, scraps of paper, and many times, not recorded at all which in turn lead to poor Patient Care Reports. The mission, then, was to not only create a system that improved the quality and accuracy of the data recorded on the Patient Care Report, but more importantly, to implement the use of technology in an environment that could benefit greatly from it by making the jobs of the medics easier, reducing their workload, and allowing them to focus their attention on providing care for their patients.

How it would work:

1. Medics would download the app on their personal devices
2. Using a Bluetooth ear piece medics will be able to timestamp their events using a specific passcode as well as receive feedback on certain events.
3. Medics will be able to create detailed narratives of their call in minutes by selecting the appropriate protocols from the list which would all then be able to sync with their Patient Care Report.

As designers we should be able to walk in the shoes of the people we are designing our products for to truly understand their needs. This project tackled a real problem that one of the busiest EMS departments in the country faces. With extensive user research and the implementation of multiple UX processes, a custom solution using new, emerging technologies was created to make the lives of these medics easier.