WASHINGTON CO. EMS RECEIVES 5 ULTRASOUND UNITS

  

Washington County EMS now has a new diagnostic tool to use when seconds count in saving someone’s life.  Thanks to the generous donation of June Dossett, 5 of the Butterfly IQ Ultrasound units have been purchased along with their accompanying iPads.  The local EMS has been involved in a study since January to see if they could utilize portable ultrasounds to diagnose lung problems in the field.  Now, the two ultrasound units that were on loan for the study will be returned and the 5 new units will be placed on each of the County’s ambulances.

Paramedic Mark Rosenbaum says the units can be used to check for internal bleeding on trauma patients or fluid around the heart on a cardiac patient:

Local paramedics received their first training on the new ultrasounds Wednesday, although they already received training on the ultrasound portion with the older units as part of the national study.  EMS Director Kevin Deramus says the units are extremely simple to use and can even send the images to the emergency room so the doctor there can decide the correct treatment while the patent is being transported.  Rosenbaum, who will be training the other paramedics on the new units, says they incorporate the latest technology.

Deramus describes the new ultrasounds as a “game changer” in the EMS world.