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PubNub > Case Studies > ZOLL Streamlines EMS Dispatch with Robust, Secure Mobile Communication Platform

ZOLL Streamlines EMS Dispatch with Robust, Secure Mobile Communication Platform

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
Networks & Connectivity - 5G

Applicable Industries

Cement
Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Real-Time Location System (RTLS)
Vehicle-to-Infrastructure

The Challenge

ZOLL, a leader in developing medical devices and software solutions, aimed to transform emergency medical services (EMS) communication by streamlining the entire process from emergency call to ER/hospital. This modernization was intended to improve patient response and care. To build their iOS/Android app, Respond, ZOLL needed a real-time messaging infrastructure that was fast, reliable, and secure. These three criteria were mission-critical. Speed was crucial as seconds can be the difference between life and death in emergency response. Reliability was key as every message matters and needs to be delivered in real time, even in unreliable network environments. Security was paramount due to the sensitive nature of patient data and the need for HIPAA-compliant real-time infrastructure.

About The Customer

ZOLL is a leading company in the development of medical devices and software solutions. They have created an iOS/Android app called Respond, which provides EMS dispatchers, crews, and clinical staff at receiving facilities with seamless real-time communication options. These options include live chat, push-to-talk, and streaming video. With Respond, EMS agencies can streamline their communication, eliminating unnecessary phone calls, and directly connecting paramedic crews in the field to dispatchers and ER/hospitals. The aim of this app is to modernize and improve patient response and care by transforming EMS communication.

The Solution

ZOLL chose PubNub to provide the speed, reliability, and compliance requirements needed to build Respond’s in-app chat features for iOS and Android. PubNub's mobile SDKs for Android and iOS, and a reliable, scalable real-time backend, enabled the ZOLL engineering team to quickly build a production-ready mobile app with secure, reliable chat messaging. PubNub's Real-time Messaging provides low-latency data delivery, ensuring chat messages are sent and received between any number of users in under 1/10 second. In addition to speed and reliability, PubNub's Data Stream Network is end-to-end HIPAA-compliant, meeting the strict requirements set forth by the federal regulation of electronic communications in the healthcare space. This allowed ZOLL to focus on adding new features to their robust communication app, rather than focusing on backend infrastructure and HIPAA-compliance complexities.

Operational Impact

The use of PubNub's HIPAA-compliant, combined with hosted-infrastructure and APIs, drastically reduced ZOLL’s time to market, and helped them launch a production-ready, stable application with confidence. Choosing a hosted-service rather than building an in-house solution allowed ZOLL to focus on adding new features to their robust communication app, rather than focusing on backend infrastructure and HIPAA-compliance complexities. The speed and reliability of Respond were not only felt by ZOLL, but also by the end-users (the agencies) of the product. The customers have publicly stated that the chat feature has improved efficiencies in their organization.

Quantitative Benefit

ZOLL saved substantial resources by choosing PubNub rather than building backend infrastructure in-house.
Real-time Messaging ensures chat messages are sent and received between any number of users in under 1/10 second.
End users (emergency medical services) report increased efficiencies and faster response times.