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      Pulsara Integration

      AngelTrack integrates with Pulsara, allowing crews to pull the data from a Pulsara patient channel into the PCR.

      Pulsara.260x260

      Configuration

      To configure and activate AngelTrack's Pulsara integration, visit the Pulsara Configuration item found under the Settings page. You must have Captain or Administrator access to do so.

      Once there, follow the instructions on the screen to issue a Pulsara API token for AngelTrack's use, and input it into AngelTrack. You must have admin access in Pulsara to do so. To learn how do this in Pulsara, visit the Pulsara API Token Guide.

      As soon as you save the Pulsara API token into AngelTrack, the integration is immediately active, and your crews may begin using it.

      Normal Workflow

      In the normal case where your dispatch office is staffed and directing all crews, the Pulsara workflow looks like this:

      1. Phone rings in the dispatch office.
      2. The dispatcher books an EMS response, but does not attach a patient record unless the patient is definitely already known to the agency.
      3. The crew goes enroute, and on the way, creates a new patient record in Pulsara. A patient record in Pulsara is sometimes called a "patient channel".
      4. Upon arrival on-scene, the crew marks their progress in AngelTrack, but does not yet open the PCR.
      5. The crew collects the basic demographic data from the patient (name / DOB / age / gender) and inputs it into the Pulsara record... assuming it wasn't already input by a first responder.
      6. The crew then opens the PCR, which, if no dispatcher has yet attached an AngelTrack patient record, will offer a list of relevant Pulsara patient channels. The crew finds their patient in the list, and clicks the "Attach" button. AngelTrack then retrieves the demographic data, vital-signs, ECG strips, and lab tests from Pulsara, and uses it to pre-populate some of the PCR.

      Unattended Mode / Self-Dispatch Mode Workflow

      The aforementioned workflow is essentially the same when AngelTrack is in unattended mode or self-dispatch mode. Before opening the PCR to import data from Pulsara, the crew must:

      • Already be assigned to a dispatch for which there is not yet a patient record attached; and
      • Already have created and populated the patient channel in Pulsara.

      When unattended mode or self-dispatch mode is active, the PCR will offer to the crew the option to detach the patient record from the PCR. After doing so, the crew is then free to search for a different patient record, or query Pulsara for a different patient channel.

      Re-Import of Pulsara Data

      The PCR-Home page will offer a "Reimport" button for any trip which:

      • Was originally imported from Pulsara; and
      • Is still modifiable by the crew, i.e. has not yet gone to billing.

      Clicking the reimport button will query Pulsara to retrieve any additional demographics data that wasn't present during the first import. It will also reimport all vital signs, ECGs, and lab tests.

      Limitations

      The only times AngelTrack can connect the PCR to a Pulsara channel is when:

      • The crew opens the PCR which does not yet have a patient record attached; or
      • AngelTrack is in unattended mode and the crew uses the PCR-Patient page to detach the current patient record.

      AngelTrack cannot push PCR data back to the Pulsara channel. The crew must still fill out the PCR in the usual way, and AngelTrack must still upload the PCR to the state in the usual way.

      When AngelTrack offers the list of Pulsara channels to the crew, it searches for channels that were created as far back as four hours in the past, and four hours in the future, of the trip's activation time. That means the crew cannot create the Pulsara channel many hours after the incident; it must be created shortly before, or during, or shortly after the incident, otherwise AngelTrack won't see it.

      AngelTrack will import the following data items from Pulsara into the PCR:

      • Patient demographics
      • Vital signs
      • ECG strips (maximum of three)
      • Lab test results*

      *The importation of lab test results depends on the existence of a built-in On-Scene Labs test battery named "Pulsara Imported Labs", and its associated tests. If someone modifies that test battery or its tests, then the Pulsara import of lab test results may no longer work correctly.

      Patient record match-up

      In order to match a Pulsara patient channel to an existing patient record in AngelTrack, AngelTrack must receive either of the following from Pulsara:

      • Patient last name and DOB; or
      • Patient barcode at least six characters long.

      If the Pulsara patient channel does not contain either of those items, then AngelTrack cannot reliably match to its existing patient records, and so must create a new one. This could result in duplicate records; to avoid this, try always to input the patient's last name and DOB into Pulsara before importing the patient channel into AngelTrack.