Region I EMSQI Project

Planning for the Region I EMSQI Project started in 1996 at the direction of the Region I EMS Advisory Council (EMSAC) as a solution to a problem experienced by all five (5) counties that make up Region I (Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin).  The problem was a lack of a quality EMS data collection system that facilitated benchmarking capabilities to identify strengths and weaknesses in the pre-hospital, emergency medical care provided by each EMS agency.  With the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments working as the lead agency on the project, several committees were established to examine the feasibility of implementing a regionwide electronic data collection system that would standardize the EMS data collected by each of the five (5) counties.

The Region I EMSQI Committee worked diligently during 1997 and 1998 to develop a plan for implementation and securing funding.  Thanks to approximately $350,000 in grant funds from local endowments and foundations, implementation began in 1999.

Today, FCEMS personnel enter all Patient Care Reports (PCRs) on either a Windows XP Pro® laptop or desktop, in a software package called EMS Solutions 2000®. 

The following diagram demonstrates the infrastructure of the FCEMS system:

The PCR is then uploaded to a Microsoft SQL® server maintained by the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments.  This server acts as a clearinghouse for all five (5) counties that participate in the project.  Data is then synced every twenty (20) minutes to a Microsoft SQL® server maintained by FCEMS via bi-directional SQL Replication that makes data available to personnel from the FCEMS Administration Division, Billing Division, Operations Division and Training Division that is almost realtime for billing purposes and QI purposes.  The PCR System is managed by the FCEMS Compliance Officer.

The following flowchart demonstrates dataflow through the system:

During FY03-04, FCEMS equipped all of its apparatus with Windows XP Pro® laptops to allow Paramedics to create PCRs on the go.  PCRs are automatically transmitted to the hospital that received the patient to ensure that the PCR becomes a part of the patient's hospital record in a timely manner.  An update to the system in January 2007 now allows Paramedics to upload PCRs to the server and print PCRs to any station from the ambulance while on the road.