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ePCR: The Basics
The success of an ePCR project is not determined by meeting technical
benchmarks; it's determined by a measurable improvement in public health
and patient care outcomes.
 The Problem with Paper Patient Care Reports and Manual Data
Entry
- The process is slow, expensive and unreliable.
- Data can be inconsistent and is never up to date.
- Reports don't contain the analysis you need to improve service
and properly manage risk.
- Reports are never up to date.
- Paper reports can be lost, missing or incomplete.
The Benefits of ePCR
- electronic Patient Care Reports are fast, cost-effective and reliable.
- Data is consistent and up to date.
- Reports contain the analysis you need to improve service and properly
manage risk.
- Reports are always up to date.
- electronic Patient Care Reports can NOT be lost, missing or incomplete.
How Paramedics Benefit from ePCR
Faster data entry, automatically requiring specific treatments and
protocols in specific situations and the ability to complete the forms
en route or after delivery all add up to paramedics being able to focus
on what they do best: patient care.
A good ePCR system also allows paramedics to quickly communicate consistent
data to everyone who needs it, whenever they need it.
How Administrators Benefit from ePCR
Unlike paper reports, an effective ePCR
solution gives administrators real-time access to pertinent details
about every single call. Trends can be quickly spotted and analyzed. You
can better manage risk and improve patient care.
You're also able to ensure that rare, but potentially serious, problems don't turn into disasters. (For example, you might go an entire career without seeing a single incident of narcotic abuse, but real-time reporting on every narcotic administered brings peace of mind and helps protect patients.)
How Patients Benefit from ePCR
One of the main benefits of ePCR is the ability to quickly implement
procedures that have been proven beneficial to patients: either internally
or by paramedics in other regions. iMEDIC EMS allows you to
require, and helps you ensure compliance to, new procedures and treatments
in specific situations.
ePCR: Beyond the Basics
When searching for an ePCR solution you should consider five types
of requirements, your:
- Legislative Requirements
- Complaint and Incident Review Criteria
- Paramedic Performance Review Needs
- Medical Compliance Requirements
- System Monitoring and Improvement Needs
Security
In order to ensure the confidentiality of your patient's medical records,
you need adequate encryption technology, a comprehensive security policy
and to ensure mobile tablet security. Your ePCR solution vendor
should be able to help you with all three.
Implementing ePCR
Make sure the people you're working with have experience implementing
ePCR. Your objective is to enhance your system, not disrupt
it. Implementation is more than a technical issue; it's a management
issue. Make sure you're working with technical professionals
who have foresight, an ability to plan practically and effective management
skills. Develop a realistic plan, with realistic timeframes,
and make sure you include all the required steps, including training.
Hosted ePCR
You can host an ePCR solution internally, on your servers, but why
would you want to? Your area of expertise is patient care, not
network support and maintenance. You want to invest your capital
budget in equipment that directly benefits patients, not in continually
upgrading computer hardware.
Only iMEDIC EMS offers a total hosted solution. iMEDIC takes
care of all of the following for you:
- All data management processes including on-site and off-site
back up
- Providing all servers, communication hardware, physical security,
system monitoring, system maintenance etc.
- Mobile PC maintenance (Windows, locator etc)
- Managing all network communications and connectivity
- PHIPPA compliant data storage
Hosted ePCR from iMEDIC eases the pressures on your capital budget,
allows administrators and paramedics to focus on what they do best,
maximizes uptime, increases system reliability, reduces strain on your
IT department and gives you peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions about ePCR
Q: What should I be asking for in an ePCR Solution
A: You should consider your needs in these five areas
- Legislative Requirements
- Complaint and Incident Review Criteria
- Paramedic Performance Reviews Needs
- Medical Compliance Requirements
- System Monitoring and Improvement Need
Q: All ePCR vendors claim to be "easy-to-use." How
do I actually measure ease of use?
A: Electronic Patient Care Report forms should
have the same "look
and feel" as your current forms and a "what you see is what
you get" design. Forms must be able to be completed at
point of care (on scene or in vehicle), or post call (in vehicle, at
hospital, or in station.) Forms should be able to be completed
when the paramedic is connected to the central network and when he
or she is disconnected. The system should be able to accept
multiple forms of data entry: keyboard, “pen,” bar code and voice recognition.
The system should prompt paramedics and ensure they enter all required
information for a given procedure. Also, checkboxes, radio buttons
and drop-down lists which incorporate the "parent/child" methodology
improve ease-of-use.
Q: How does an ePCR system help me improve
compliance?
A: iMEDIC EMS's integrated, automated compliance
tools scan each completed electronic call record for accuracy and
completeness. Each record
must undergo a compliance check prior to printing or transmission.
Errors are identified as "stop" or "warning" signs.
(You can modify the restrictiveness of the rules.)
The compliance tools can also be configured
to ensure medical directives are in compliance. When there's
a deviation from protocol, the quality manager is automatically notified
by email of the incident # and the deviation.
Q:
What features help improve patient care on every call?
A: Vital signs should be automatically trended
for easy interpretation. Forms should insist that all recommended procedures
are taken. Deviation
reporting should be automatic.
Q: What features should administrators look for?
A: Administrators should be able to audit each
call and easily generate reports that help them understand overall
trends and identify areas for improvement. Look for reporting functionality
across a broad range of parameters, with a large number of useful standard
reports and the ability to easily customize reports.
Q: What do I need to know about an ePCR system?
A: One of the main advantages of ePCR is it theoretically
provides the ability for all members of your team to access the same
up-to-date access. When choosing an ePCR system, make sure this
benefit isn't merely theoretical. Look for base hospital integration,
the ability to audit each call and real-time protocol violation reporting.
Q: What do I need to know about security?
A: In order to ensure the confidentiality of your
patient's medical records, you need to consider: technology, policy
and mobile tablet security. Make sure your ePCR solution adequately
addresses all three.
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