SOTI Finds 95% of US Emergency Service Organizations Encounter Significant Challenges with Devices

When it comes to emergency service operations, efficient technology is paramount, particularly given the vital significance of every passing second and unprecedented disruptions prompting a need for swift response and recovery. However, with 95% of workers in the U.S. reporting issues with their mobile devices, it is clear the industry requires significant improvement to mobile device strategies to deliver consistent quality care, save time, money and lives.

According to SOTI's latest report, Digitizing the Frontline: Transformative Technologies in Critical Care, first responders are experiencing vast operational challenges with technology investments, emphasizing a critical need to address device downtime, delayed collaboration and reporting, fleet visibility and more. IT decision-makers must leverage an Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution to remotely oversee and resolve device issues, swiftly minimizing disruptions within minutes, and allowing responders to maintain focus on urgent situations.

Technology Breakdowns: Key Challenges for Emergency Service Teams

SOTI’s report highlights several fundamental technology failures that first responders cannot afford to tackle when lives are at risk. In fact, among U.S. respondents, 38% reported issues with slow uploads, 33% experienced device crashes, 31% started shifts with uncharged devices and 30% faced connectivity issues. These technological shortcomings could hinder emergency service workers from delivering optimal patient care or adhering to response policies and procedures.

This comes as no surprise to emergency service organizations as 68% of U.S. respondents said that their technology needs improvement to ensure faster response times. Alarmingly, 62% report experiencing delays of more than 10 minutes due to device related failures, a significant setback in situations where swift decision-making can save lives.

Technology Breakdowns (Global) versus % of Global Emergency Service Workers Experiencing the Following Breakdowns Due to Any Device Issue
- Delays in accessing my required information: 36%
- Increased stress levels for me/my team: 38%
- Increased time waiting for digital records relating to the incident/emergency: 34%
- Delays in data arriving for location details: 30%
- Delays to the start of work at the incident/emergency: 28%
- Having to wait for authorization: 28%
- Delays in my/my team’s ability to spend time on care is impacted: 24%
- Delays to accessing required equipment/medicines: 25%

"When lives are on the line, there are no seconds to waste. Yet, with 62% of U.S. emergency personnel encountering delays of more than 10 minutes due to device related failures, the industry is engrossed in fixing problems with the very technology intended to aid," stated Shash Anand, SVP of Product Strategy at SOTI. "Embracing appropriate intelligence solutions, like SOTI XSight, can help solve the challenges of not having real-time visibility into what’s happening in the field. It’s crucial for IT decision-makers to understand how devices are used in operations, and to be proactive on identifying and fixing issues quickly and efficiently.”

Transitioning From Pen and Paper: The Digital Evolution of Emergency Services

The report found that 43% of U.S. frontline workers still rely on traditional pen and paper methods for at least 80% of cases. However, this old-fashioned approach poses significant risks, including the potential for lost or outdated information, while creating opportunities for human error. Despite the slow transition to mobile devices and applications, emergency service teams also typically have to share devices further enhancing the need for a solution where this can be done quickly, securely and easily from shift to shift. These shared devices include laptop computers (34%) and employer-issued smartphones (29%).

Employee Morale and Technology Issues Must Be Strengthened

The goal of integrating mobile technology within your daily operations is to foster a more seamless and efficient environment for employees – and frontline workers rely on these devices to deliver quality emergency care. However, a staggering 42% of U.S. emergency service workers report heightened stress levels across their teams when encountering device issues and data delays.

IT decision-makers must therefore act as quickly as possible and take the appropriate technological measures to increase the satisfaction of their employees by reducing avoidable stress factors with devices. This will improve the quality of their work and care provided to patients, as well as help recruit, train and retain staff, benefiting first responders and those seeking urgent help.

"Digital transformation isn't just a buzzword—it's crucial to ensure the emergency services sector can respond faster, keep data secure and operate more efficiently. One of SOTI’s emergency services customers, Memphis Fire Department (MFD), has already seen significant success with SOTI MobiControl, getting back 35 hours of time per week previously lost due to IT issues. Moreover, if devices are lost or stolen – which our report found that 15% of first responders globally experience this – SOTI MobiControl's geolocation and lockdown features instantly locks down and secures sensitive patient data. It's evident that leveraging technology effectively and correctly can make a difference in saving lives at every step of an emergency,” concluded Anand.