2023 Hooley Awards: Revealing the Finalists

LAKEVILLE, MINN. [July 6, 2023] - ImageTrend, LLC. is honored to announce the finalists for the eighth Hooley™ Awards. The Hooley Awards recognize innovators and thought leaders, honoring their involvement, creativity and passion, and were founded to acknowledge their contributions in innovation and excellence. There are three categories: Innovation, Service and New Frontier.

Meet the finalists:

The Innovation Award recognizes those who are serving in a new or innovative way to meet the needs of their organization, including developing programs or solutions to benefit providers, administrators or the community. The Innovation Award Finalists are:

• Michael Wells, Montgomery County Hospital District
• Tyler Ostman, HealthPartners Medical Transportation
• Delaware County EMS, Ohio

The Service Award considers how data is being used to further the safety of their community or reach community goals, and acknowledges the fact that data is boundless and can be used in any number of ways for the benefit of society. The Service Award Finalists are:

• Zak Raab, New Jersey Department of Health
• Zachary Potts, Albuquerque Ambulance Service
• Cody Shea, Tacoma Fire Department

The New Frontier Award recognizes those that are going above and beyond the call of duty and breaking new ground or serving in a humanitarian way. The New Frontier Finalists are:

• Brandon Howard, West Valley Fire Department
• Queen Anne's County Department of Health and Queen Anne's County Department of Emergency Services MIH Community Health Program
• Jason Schaak, West Allis Fire Department & Jennifer Hernandez-Meier, Medical College of Wisconsin

Finalist Nominations:

Innovation Award Nominations:

Michael Wells, Montgomery County Hospital District

Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD) wanted to confirm the accuracy of transport mileage documented in the patient care reports to better ensure accurate billing and regulatory compliance but recognized that manually confirming the mileage of over 45,000 transports each year would be manually burdensome. MCHD took an innovative approach and utilized ImageTrend Data Mart™ to design and implement an automatic mileage confirmation using the Google Maps API. This integration not only confirms the mileage to the destination hospital, but also calculates the distance to the closest appropriate hospital based on the documented patient condition. Overall, this implementation is expected to save over 750 labor hours per year while also improving the accuracy of EMS billing.

Tyler Ostman, HealthPartners Medical Transportation

Following a Medicare audit, HealthPartners Medical Transportation (a department of Regions Hospital) implemented ImageTrend Elite™ and created a new position to help bridge the gap between clinical review and billing charge entry. The use of the Elite CQI module, initially designed for clinical quality review, allowed them to identify and address revenue loss areas. As a result, they went from being 10 months behind in CQI and charge entry to providing feedback within 24 hours, and increased ePCRs reviewed and charges entered within 2 weeks from 40% to 97%. By leveraging Elite, they successfully reduced revenue cycle lag time and provided faster clinical reviews, showcasing the innovative potential of the CQI Module.

Delaware County EMS, Ohio

Delaware County EMS (DCEMS) is experiencing rapid growth and is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. To meet the needs of the community, DCEMS implements evidence-based practices to provide high-quality emergency care. DCEMS has received full accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), a prestigious achievement completed by only 192 agencies in the US and Canada, and five agencies in Ohio. The agency's in-house simulation lab, visited by national organizations, provides training for all employees, and the Shift Clinical Educator program offers hands-on training directly to providers. Additionally, DCEMS collaborates with the Delaware County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) to gather data on patients with substance abuse and mental health issues, aiming to develop a comprehensive plan through the Stepping Up initiative. DCEMS is recognized for its quality, integrity and dedication to the well-being of providers and patients.

Service Award Nominations:

Zak Raab, New Jersey Department of Health

Zak Raab, from the New Jersey Office of EMS, has been instrumental in using ImageTrend solutions to address gaps in highway and traffic safety data related to EMS in the state. New Jersey has been working closely with NHTSA/State Highway Traffic Safety (HTS) since 2004 to collect crucial data on motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) and EMS response statistics. By leveraging ImageTrend's data repository and ePCR solutions, New Jersey has emerged as a leader in EMS data collection and recently became the 11th state to adopt NEMSIS 3.5. However, in 2019, the department identified a gap in crash reporting, leading to the integration of ImageTrend License Management™ to fill the data void. Zak Raab has spearheaded this effort by customizing the platform and creating reporting functionality for agencies to report injuries or crashes. License Management enables the Office of EMS to generate critical crash statistics, including EMS-related MVCs with and without injuries, vehicle activities at the time of the incident, engagement of warning lights and occupant restraint usage. The system also captures potential safety concerns regarding EMS vehicles, clinician practices and patient restraint systems, enabling the Department to enhance its "Culture of Safety" initiative and promote awareness among agencies and providers. Collaborating with the industry and HTS partners, the Department aims to create a safer environment on the road for EMS personnel, patients and the public.

Zachary Potts, Albuquerque Ambulance Service

Albuquerque Ambulance staff members, like many others in their field, face significant violent encounters while on the job. Nationally, assaults against EMS providers are believed to be under-reported. To address this issue, Albuquerque Ambulance Service (AAS) collaborated with the Albuquerque Fire Department and Bernalillo County Fire Department to incorporate custom questions into ImageTrend Elite™ to gain a better understanding of the types and frequency of assaults they experienced. By allowing quick and efficient reporting, this initiative resulted in a significant increase in reported EMS assault numbers, removing a barrier to reporting. The data collected through this system enables AAS to present accurate statistics to community leaders and analyze correlations between codes, call times and geographic locations to better comprehend the circumstances surrounding EMS assaults. Additionally, by utilizing Continuum®, AAS's on-duty Commander is immediately alerted whenever a crew reports an EMS assault, allowing for prompt support, debriefing and connection to necessary services for the affected employees.

Cody Shea, Tacoma Fire Department

The documentary "The Call We Carry" sheds light on the crisis faced by first responders, with over 37% of them meeting the clinical diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unfortunately, many of these individuals remain untreated or unrecognized. The film aims to break down barriers and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health in the fire service, challenging the perception that vulnerability equates to weakness. Initially intended as a five-minute awareness video, the project expanded due to the need for a more comprehensive exploration of the impact emergency services have on first responders. The documentary features the stories of four Tacoma Firefighters, highlighting their experiences of pain, sacrifice and resilience amidst a significant increase in call volume. The film has had an immediate impact, saving lives and raising awareness among current first responders, with its creator, Cody Shea, dedicating countless hours to the project while also navigating his own journey with PTSD. The documentary is freely available on YouTube, ensuring accessibility for any first responder in need:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M44NNoDLEo0.

New Frontier Nominations:

Brandon Howard, West Valley Fire Department

Captain Howard has implemented several features in ImageTrend that have benefited West Valley Fire Department (WVFD), neighboring agencies and the communities they serve. One notable addition is a patient follow-up section, which efficiently collects feedback from hospitals and provides updates on patients, facilitating excellent training and improvement opportunities. Like many departments, many patients WVFD respond to do not require emergency services but are unsure of whom to contact. Through ImageTrend, their teams can now refer these patients to appropriate additional services, such as adult and aging services, fostering partnerships with community members to meet individuals' specific needs. Soon, they plan to launch a drug recovery program in their community using the same approach.

Queen Anne's County Department of Health and Queen Anne's County Department of Emergency Services MIH Community Health Program

The Queen Anne's County Mobile Integrated Community Health (MICH) program aims to provide integrated health and social services to high-risk residents aged 18 and older. The program targets vulnerable populations to improve their quality of life by identifying unmet medical and social needs and utilizing community and healthcare resources to address them. During a comprehensive home visit, a team consisting of a community health nurse and a paramedic assesses participants using evidence-based tools. A telemedicine connection allows participants to consult with a pharmacist for medication reconciliation. The MICH program, the first of its kind in Maryland, prides itself on innovative solutions to serve the community's most vulnerable patients, such as utilizing telemedicine and introducing point-of-care HgA1c monitors. The team collaborates effectively to overcome challenges and leverage each organization's strengths.

Jason Schaak, West Allis Fire Department & Jennifer Hernandez-Meier, Medical College of Wisconsin

The West Allis Fire Department (WAFD) in Wisconsin has implemented a comprehensive opioid response program in collaboration with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and other healthcare providers. The program utilizes a Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) team, peer counselors, case managers and community partners to connect individuals struggling with drug use to services and increase outreach to underserved populations. The MIH team provides in-person care, connecting patients to medication-assisted treatment and harm-reduction materials. Between 2021-2022, the MIH team visited 357 out of 483 referred patients, with 164 (34% overall; 46% of those contacted) enrolled into medication-assisted treatment. The program has contributed to a 24% reduction in overdose incidents and a 9% reduction in overdose deaths in West Allis between 2018-2022, in contrast to increases in surrounding Milwaukee County. The use of ImageTrend solutions, including data analysis, has been crucial in identifying trends, understanding migration patterns of patients, and expanding services to underserved populations. The MIH team has also expanded its services to include the initiation of medication-assisted treatment using buprenorphine, becoming the first EMS agency in Wisconsin capable of providing this treatment. ImageTrend's features have facilitated patient screening, data collection and follow-up, ensuring the transferability of lessons learned to other EMS sites. Future efforts will involve leveraging telemedicine for physician consults and prescribing. The collaboration between WAFD, MCW and their partners has fostered ongoing collaboration and innovative use of ImageTrend solutions to enhance data collection, utilization and dissemination, ensuring continued care for individuals with substance use disorder.

“This year’s Hooley Award finalists have pushed the envelope to advance the way their departments support their patients, peers and communities,” commented Joe Graw, President and CEO of ImageTrend. “We’re honored to celebrate their achievements and the hard work that went into these initiatives.”

The winners of the 2023 Hooley Awards will be announced on Wednesday, July 19 at the 15th annual ImageTrend Connect Conference. Follow ImageTrend on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for pictures, articles and announcements on the stories of this year’s Hooley Award finalists.

About ImageTrend, LLC.  www.imagetrend.com 

ImageTrend, LLC. is dedicated to connecting life’s most important data in the healthcare and emergency response community. ImageTrend delivers software solutions, data analytics and services for EMS, hospitals, community paramedicine (CP), critical care, fire, and preparedness to enable fully integrated patient-centric healthcare and public safety. ImageTrend’s commitment to innovation, its clients, and providing world-class implementation and support is unsurpassed. Based in Lakeville, Minn., ImageTrend combines business analysis, creative design and data driven architecture to offer scalable solutions and strategies for today and the future.