Yiding Yu

Updated March 2018

A digital platform that enables the transmission of real-time data from ambulance to hospital

As a trainee doctor in the United States, YiDing Yu was alarmed and frustrated with the outdated methods hospital emergency departments used to collate patient information on arrival, wasting precious minutes which could be dedicated to urgent treatment.

Currently radio transmission over public channels disrupted with interference is the only method for contact between doctors and the 100 million ambulances that drive to emergency departments around the world every year; some countries even lack this basic system. Furthermore, millions are left with permanent disabilities each year due to delayed diagnosis and treatment.

Transforming the practice of healthcare

Three years ago, YiDing founded Twiage, a cloud -based digital platform which did exactly that. Using secure data streams and live GPS-tracking, Twiage enables the secure hospital registration of a patient in real time from the ambulance or scene of an accident via a free smart phone app. By offering hospitals a complete picture of incoming patients with basic medical information, Twiage allows hospitals to efficiently prepare for patients and manage resources, in order to accelerate life-saving care.

Recalling just one example of how Twiage has positively impacted a patient’s care, YiDing remembers that “one patient completed his treatment within 30 minutes after admission to the hospital when the benchmark is 90 minutes.” Hospitals using Twiage have been found to save an average of 14 minutes per patient on hospital arrival, and reduce door-to-room times at the hospital by 30%. Crucially, use of the digital platform also reduces the turnaround time for ambulances by 65% freeing up resources for more incoming emergencies.

Saving lives with technology

Since its launch in 2015, Twiage has successfully become the market leader in northeast America, deployed at 16 hospitals across the US and used by 70 ambulance companies, registering over 50,000 patients.

Having doubled patient numbers every six months since its inception, YiDing has ambitious growth plans for Twiage and hopes to soon become the standard of care in the US and beyond. “We want to channel partners who can introduce our technology to ambulance agencies and hospitals across the world. These may include telecom and internet providers, government organizations, or medical device companies in this space.”

Twiage will also continue to undergo upgrades as YiDing’s technology improves. Upcoming modules include improvements to quality reporting, interfacility transfers and resource visualization. “These tools will help our clients recognize patterns for high-risk patients, reduce unnecessary waste, and prevent hospital readmissions while generating valuable additional revenue opportunities for Twiage.”

Long-term, YiDing’s mission is to make Twiage the standard for emergency medical communications to help accelerate live-saving care and offer better outcomes for patients. “Each of us will have an emergency one day so we believe this mission touches every single person.”