University Hospitals Expanded EMS Data Partnership

The health system deployed new prehospital intelligence tools across 16 counties to improve patient care.

Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Emergency Response

Bold flat-color editorial illustration in navy, cream, and red, featuring a geometric hospital and ambulance, representing medical data integration. — University Hospitals has launched a prehospital intelligence initiative in northern Ohio, integrating clinical data sharing between EMS agencies and medical facilities. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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University Hospitals has expanded its data partnership with ESO to implement Prehospital Intelligence capabilities for regional EMS agencies across northern Ohio. This initiative marks the first deployment of its kind in the state, aiming to synchronize clinical data between emergency crews and hospital facilities.

Why it matters

The platform facilitates a shared understanding of patient health status to help hospitals forecast bed needs and mobilize staff effectively. This integration serves to reduce emergency department boarding by enabling teams to better estimate patient acuity before arrival.

The system connects 300 EMS agencies serving 16 northern Ohio counties to University Hospitals. This network operates across 21 hospitals and utilizes the ESO Health Data Exchange to bridge prehospital findings with Epic electronic medical records.

The players

University Hospitals

This health system is headquartered in Cleveland and employs 30,000 people across its 21 facilities.

ESO

This organization provides data exchange and intelligence software designed for emergency medical services.

The details

The system provides EMS teams with real-time access to lab results, imaging, vitals, and procedure notes from hospital records. Conversely, hospital staff receive prearrival indicators that assist in assessing the likelihood of patient admission.

University Hospitals began using the ESO Health Data Exchange in July 2025.
The expansion of the partnership was formally announced on October 7, 2026.

Seasonal Patterns

The expansion marks a significant evolution in the use of the ESO Health Data Exchange within emergency medicine workflows. This development reflects a growing industry trend toward predictive clinical integration to streamline hospital operations.

Patients served by the 300 connected EMS agencies will benefit from more accurate pre-arrival preparation by hospital staff. This system is designed to accelerate emergency triage and reduce waiting times by ensuring clinical data is available the moment a patient reaches the facility.

The takeaway

This integration demonstrates how real-time data flow between transport teams and clinical staff can solve logistical bottlenecks in emergency care. Residents in northern Ohio may see improved efficiency in emergency department processing as hospitals gain better visibility into incoming patient volume.