From the Editor

     On January 2, 2006, EMS Magazine's editorial department made the transition to working from home offices. We now have three people based in sunny Southern California, one person in not-so-sunny Oregon and a fifth editor currently snowed under in Minnesota.

     At first we thought the transition would prove difficult. After all, how could a group of people who had been used to working in close proximity with each other suddenly adapt to the many miles of distance between us? The answer was relatively simple-technology.

     Once the hurdle of coordinating the various telephone companies between the various homes was overcome, we were up and running. Using T1 lines, we are all able to connect to a server where we share editorial content and photos for the issue, and ultimately, where we lay out all the pages you see in the magazine. Our phone system also works off the same T1 line, which directly connects us with our head offices in Wisconsin. At this point in time, there have been few problems with this system.

     This issue of EMS Magazine looks at how technology will also transform the way in which we deliver prehospital care. Associate Editor John Erich reviews new technologies in this month's cover report on page 37, The Sci-Fi Life, and what he found out about the possibilities on the horizon for EMS has led him to believe that this is one area that holds the future of prehospital care in its hand. "We are very close now to being able to communicate patient criticality, in real time, by means other than just voice communications," says Ray Fowler, MD, a key player in a number of telemedicine projects. In addition to telemedicine, patient tracking systems and electronic patient records will also play a part in changing the way we provide EMS. Read about all this and more this month. Meanwhile, I welcome your thoughts on this topic. Please e-mail nancy.perry@cygnusb2b.com.