getting nerdy in EMS...

So I live in a state fortunate enough to have digital run reports (I'm sure some angry old medics are just waiting to troll me right now.) However, I don't see a point at the moment. I don't see why the local ER's are using EMR ether. I mean it would be really cool if we actually utilized it... Unfortunately we don't. everyday medic have to print out their report using 2-5 pages of paper, then they fax it to the ER using another 2-5 pages of paper! That doesn't include the 2 page quick report we have to leave the hospital. Then we have cardiac monitors to worry about! those things will spit out 2-3 feet of readings if you don't watch them. 

I do a lot of patient transfers at the moment. (It isn't all that fun but it pays the bills and that's good enough for now.) When you do a transfer especially a Phych transfer you always need three things.

1. The Patient, hardest one to forget. However sometimes they don't wanna go and try to run the other way....
2. The paper work. for most people its just simple discharge instructions but for some people it's a book.
3. The junk belongings. Almost all patients have shoes or something. the other day a transported a lady that had... no joke... one big white bag of junk, a duffle bag, a Walmart bag, and a fan... as in one you put on your desk that was about a foot high.

The annoying part about the paper work is it's freaking 2012 and we still need to carry a book from one hospital to the other. A book that has already been entered into a computer, printed off, and will be reentered at the new hospital. My question?

WHY?!

I understand E-mail isn't secure enough to use, What about WiFi direct? Bluetooth? Use common technology today we could (hehe) cut down a whole forest worth of paperwork! Yes, we still have to have some physical medical papers like Bluepapers and EMTALA forms. Do we really need to print out 8-12 hours of notes for the 15 minute suicide watch? NO! I understand it would be expensive to start out but it saves so much time and trees to use modern technology... 

Here is a scenario. you go to a patient with chest pain. Dispatch sends you the location and other dispatch information to your fancy Nexus 7. 

As you're running out to the truck your EMS app is already processing what dispatch told you. by the time you're in the front seat Google Navigation is telling you how to get there. 

down the road you check and see this is a previous patient, They have a history of cardiac issues. 

You do you're on scene assessment and find chest pain radiating to the left arm. you hook up your Bluetooth enabled cardiac monitor. in moments you see S and T wave elevation on your tablet. 

On your way to the hospital the ER is already looking at the EKG you sent wirelessly. When you call in report the nurse already knows what's happening and has a bed waiting for you. 

As you wheel your patient into the ER you tap your nexus 7 against the Docs. as you're transferring the pt to the bed the doc looks over the EKG during transport, not a snip, not a few seconds, the whole thing, they can scroll the entire ten minute transport time! 

Your job is done for now. All your QI/QA information is already on your tablet. verbally enter your narrative and head to the next call.

TL;DR Show up, care for the patient, the doctor already knows what's coming, the patient has better care.

What do you think? Can tablets speed up patient treatments and make life easier? or is it just more red tape to look out for? Comment below!