Maryland Retires CHATS, Launches Modern Emergency Department Dashboard

Maryland’s familiar red and yellow hospital alert system, known as CHATS, is officially being phased out. On August 4, 2025, Maryland will fully transition to the Emergency Department Advisory System (EDAS).

This modern, web-based platform offers real-time, objective data to enhance emergency medical decision-making and hospital coordination.

CHATS (County-Hospital Alert Tracking System) has been in service for decades but has outlived its technical usefulness. The software is no longer supported, frequently fails, and relies heavily on subjective assessments of emergency department conditions.

In contrast, EDAS provides a streamlined, data-driven view of hospital status across Maryland by integrating information directly from computer-aided dispatch systems and hospital emergency department metrics.

Significant Upgrades with EDAS:

  • Objective, Real-Time Data: EDAS displays emergency department census data relative to facility-specific capacity thresholds, rather than subjective “busy” alerts.
  • Enhanced Hospital Dashboards: The system features ambulance dashboards that display the number of inbound ambulances, providing EMS personnel with a clearer picture of system demand.
  • Custom Views: Users can filter facilities to monitor emergency departments most relevant to their region or patients.
  • Wider Integration: EDAS pulls information from ImageTrend™ and the Maryland Emergency Medical Resource Alert Database (MEMRAD) to create a comprehensive statewide picture.

The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) notes that the move to EDAS is part of a broader modernization strategy aimed at enhancing EMS coordination and patient care. Local emergency management teams and EMS clinicians have already been acclimating to EDAS during a soft launch period this summer.

Starting August 4, all regulations, policies, and procedures that previously referenced CHATS will point to EDAS — or, where no longer relevant, be considered obsolete.

Counties, hospitals, and emergency services leaders seeking support or training for EDAS can contact Todd Tracey (ttracey@miemss.org) or Jeffrey Huggins (jhuggins@miemss.org) for assistance.

Visit the MIEMMS website to access EDAS and for more information.