What Is Quality? 

"Quality is anything that enhances the product or services from the viewpoint of the customer (patient). In EMS, our customer is not only the individual patient we serve , but the entire community. We need to align our values with community needs."

Ricardo Martinez
Administrator,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Article

Six Sigma Saves EMS Agency Money

Evaluation

“The ability of EMS to optimally meet communities and individual patients’ needs in the future is dependent on evaluation processes that assess and improve the quality of EMS. Continuous evaluation is essential and should pervade all aspects of every EMS system.”

Theodore R. Delbridge MD, MPH

 

Validate Your NEMSIS Files

NEMSIS Validator
and
Instructions

Pennsylvania Bureau
of EMS
Data Standards (XSD)

Approved Software

NEMSIS
Gold Compliant Software

Data Brief

Emergency Calls
2003-2008

2003:  56,776
2004:  54,520
2005:  54,923
2006:  51,236
2007:  51,670
2008:  52,342
Total:  321,467

NEMSIS Implementation

Pennsylvania is moving toward the full implementation of the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) dataset for collection of patient care reports.  NEMSIS is a national system that will allow all states to collect and compare their data in the same standard format.

Pennsylvania required that all EMS service have a PCR system recognized at the NEMSIS Gold compliant level by January 1, 2009.  They are permitting a period of implementation to permit services to transition to the new dataset.  Services should be working to make the transition from the "old" EMSCAN format to the "new" NEMSIS XML format as soon as possible.

As services submit their data in NEMSIS format, it is being validated to ensure that the data meets the requirements specified by the Bureau of EMS.  If there are errors, the service will receive an email detailing the errors with a request that they work with their vendor to correct the errors and resubmit the data.  Services may also choose to validate their files prior to submission by using the NEMSIS Validator tool and the Bureau's validation file.  These files and instructions for use can be downloaded through the link on the right.  Information on NEMSIS can be found at www.nemsis.org.

PCR data is to be submitted to our office no latter than the 10th of the following month.

If you should have any questions on the NEMSIS system, please contact our office.


PCR Data Reports

While making the transition to the NEMSIS dataset we are maintaining two different databases with PCR data: one (1) for the "old" EMSCAN data; one (1) for the "new" NEMSIS data.  This is making it difficult to provide the quarterly reports on service activity that we have provided in the past, as the data elements in each set are different and we have not yet been able to link the data.

Services will be receiving reports with the total number of PCR records, by month, for both NEMSIS and non-NEMSIS data to advise of the status of your submissions.  When the transition is complete we will develop new reports based on the NEMSIS data and resume sending quarterly reports.

In the meantime, if you have a specific issue that we can assist with, please contact our office.

Quality Improvement

The Southern Alleghenies EMS Council Quality Improvement Committee meets on a regular basis to review quality improvement issues as well as to provide guidance for the Regional quality improvement program.  The committee works in conjunction with the Regional Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) to develop projects and monitor the EMS system within the region.

All licensed, accredited, certified, authorized and recognized EMS organizations are required by regulation to participate in quality improvement activities and provide information, data, reports and access to records as requested.

Information on committee activities will be posted here in the near future.

Quality Improvement Resources

Leadership Guide to Quality Improvement
50 EMS System Benchmarks
EMS Performance Improvement Center
National Association of State EMS Officials QI Links Page