SOUTH BEND – ICE Michiana, a free smartphone app that provides First Responders with access to life-saving patient information in the field, and Emergency Rooms with critical pre-arrival health information, is expanding to include the Community Hospital of Bremen.
Launched in August 2012 through collaborative efforts of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and Force 5, and developed through a grant from The Foundation of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, the “In Case of Emergency” application now includes Community Hospital of Bremen within its “push” technology network, in addition to the other participating locations including St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka and Plymouth, IU Health Goshen, IU Health Starke and Woodlawn hospitals. As a result, First Responders and Michiana residents can now send valuable health information, in advance, to a growing number of hospital Emergency Rooms across the region.
The ICE Michiana app provides a secure, digital format for smartphone owners to enter information such as age, blood type, medical conditions, allergies, and medications – as well as emergency contact numbers and the names of primary and specialist physicians. Unlike other apps, ICE Michiana’s unique technology allows First Responders or smartphone users to send hospital Emergency Rooms the reason for their visit and critical medical information prior to their arrival.
“Force 5 is very excited to see such a great collaboration between our Michiana Hospitals. We look forward to the further development and use of the app that improves the health and well-being of the greater Michiana community,” said Deb DeFreeuw, president of Force 5.
