R Baby Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Introduce Enhanced Mobile App to Help Parents and Caregivers Prepare for Pediatric Emergencies

New Version of findERnow Quickly Identifies the Closest Location for Pediatric Emergency Care

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Mar 30, 2017, 09:02 ET

NEW YORK, March 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- R Baby Foundation (R Baby) has collaborated with the Emergency Medicine Network (EMNet) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to introduce an enhanced version of the EMNet findERnow™ mobile app, now equipped with information on pediatric emergency care. findERnow helps parents and caregivers quickly identify the closest emergency rooms (ERs) to their current location and see which are more likely to be prepared to treat children.

findERnow shows users the distance and directions from their current location to the closest ERs, using EMNet's proprietary ER database, which is the most complete and accurate in the nation. The enhanced pediatric version of findERnow, available with a $0.99 subscription, helps users easily distinguish which ERs are more likely to be prepared to provide emergency care for children, as these ERs are marked with a dark blue baby icon.

The EMNet findERnow™ mobile app is available for download on the Apple App Store and on Google Play. For more info, visit www.rbabyfoundation.org.

"Being an advocate for your child during an emergency situation can have a significant impact on the overall outcome. Unfortunately, most parents do not know that many ERs nationwide are not prepared to deal with pediatric emergencies," said Phyllis Rabinowitz, co-founder and co-president of R Baby Foundation. "We are honored to collaborate with the EMNet team at Massachusetts General Hospital to develop a powerful tool that helps parents and caregivers access critical information on where and how to get life-saving care for children so they can make informed decisions during emergencies."

With the touch of a screen, findERnow shows users the distance and directions from their current location to the closest ERs, using EMNet's proprietary ER database, which is the most complete and accurate in the nation. The enhanced pediatric version of findERnow, available with a $0.99 subscription, helps users easily distinguish which ERs are more likely to be prepared to provide emergency care for children, as these ERs are marked with a dark blue baby icon. Users can access critical information on pediatric emergency care, including the percentage of annual visits from children, if the hospital has a verified pediatric trauma or pediatric burn center, and if the ER has a separate pediatric area. The app also shows if the ER has pediatric coordinators; research has shown that having a pediatric coordinator in the ER increases the likelihood of having the latest pediatric training, equipment and supplies.

"Children who require emergency care have unique needs, especially when emergencies are serious or life-threatening," said Carlos A. Camargo MD, of MGH's Department of Emergency Medicine and EMNet director. "findERnow can help direct parents and caregivers to the closest ERs and see which are more likely prepared to provide emergency care for children."

According to the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC)'s 2013 National Pediatric Readiness assessment, only 47% of the 4,146 ERs surveyed nationwide have an emergency preparedness plan in place that addresses the unique needs of children. ERs have different levels of preparedness for pediatric emergencies due to varying degrees of training and equipment.

"findERnow is an absolute necessity for pediatric emergency preparedness," added Rabinowitz. "Parents and caregivers can now find peace of mind knowing where to go to find ERs more likely prepared to care for children, right in the palm of their hands. The app also makes it easier for everyone to find the closest ER available in case of life-threatening emergencies."

findERnow was first developed by Massachusetts General Hospital in 2010. With funding from R Baby Foundation in 2016, the first and only foundation focused on making sure every ER is prepared to give babies and children lifesaving care, the app was expanded to include essential information about pediatric emergency care. The pediatric information included with the findERnow subscription is designed for new and existing parents, caregivers, relatives and babysitters, and it is ideal for travelers, especially those traveling with young children.

About R Baby Foundation
R Baby Foundation was co-founded by Phyllis and Andrew Rabinowitz in 2006 after the loss of their 9-day old daughter Rebecca Ava after a misdiagnosis in an ER. R Baby Foundation® is the first and only not-for-profit foundation uniquely focused on saving babies' lives through improving pediatric emergency care by supporting life-saving pediatric training, education, research, treatment and equipment. R Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that has raised over $10M and has funded programs improving the healthcare of more than a million children each year.