Is the App HIPAA compliant and are there any other privacy concerns?

The 1st MinuteApp is HIPAA compliant. It deals only with patient-generated data. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information. Since the App does not collect nor share such health information, like name, date of birth, or Social Security Number, there is no invasion of privacy. We are closely tracking the call for reforms to HIPAA that reflect the changing nature of personal health data, dispatch liability, and the digital health industry’s intention to protect the safety and wellbeing of patients.

The 1st Minute App has the ability to operate in a Location-Based Service (LBS) mode which makes use of the geographical position of one’s mobile device. Public Safety organizations with an enterprise version of the App may choose to enable LBS functionality to show where patient translation incidents occur. This data can be aggregated over time to provide city or agency leadership with understanding of which language barriers exists, how often they are faced, and which parts of the city they occur in. This is an optional feature that is not enabled by default in the individual download of the App. Opt-in is required to engage this functionality. In this regard, only the current location of the device is stored (no continuous geographic tracking is recorded) and one’s identity is never known to the 1st Minute application.

How many non-English Speakers are there in the US?

In last 30 years, non-English speaking homes have grown by 300% compared to 38% population growth.

Furthermore, it is estimated that there are 100 million non-English speakers visiting the US per year and 30 million already in the US with very limited English speaking skills.  In discussions with first responders in large cities, they’ve experienced difficult conversations with those who speak languages like Vietnamese, Burmese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

What are some challenges first responders face in the EMS Operational Environment?

• They must ensure effective and timely responses to protect people / property
• They have a need to query databases to gain as much information as possible
• To rapidly process a flood of information, filtering out relevant information
• To effectively communicate information about an event to the next level of care (medical facilities)

How important are the first few minutes in a 911 health emergency?

If first responders don’t know exactly what’s going on, they may make a default decision and take them to the hospital.  Emergency department leaders want to know more than just their vital signs.  If the hospital is 45 minutes away and the person just has a headache or the flu (something non-life threatening), then it could be a costly and wasted trip.  If the patient is having problems related to stroke or the heart, then seconds count.