As an EMS worker, your role is critical in ensuring that your organization delivers high-quality care to your patients. In this blog, we'll discuss ten tips to enhance patient care in the EMS industry, sourced from the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP).
Prioritizing Patient Care
The first element of quality in EMS, as defined by NAEMSP, is prioritizing patient care. This means that your EMS system should strive to develop, promote, and implement measures that capture meaningful effects to improve patient care. This includes monitoring patient care and using data to drive continuous improvement efforts.
Continuous Advancement
The second element of quality in EMS is continuous advancement. Your EMS system should be constantly advancing toward a safer system that improves patient, provider, and population outcomes. This requires a culture of continuous improvement and a commitment to staying up-to-date with the latest evidence-based practices.
Embrace Evidence-Based Practice
The third element of quality in EMS is embracing evidence-based practice. Your EMS system should embrace current evidence-based practices in all EMS domains, from sustainable system design to clinical practice. This includes developing, disseminating, implementing, and monitoring evidence-based guidelines that inform practice at the national, state, and local levels.
Develop Infrastructure to Support Quality Efforts
The fourth element of quality in EMS is developing infrastructure to support quality efforts. This includes developing a methodology that promotes continuous improvement, partnering with EMS operational leadership, providers, and medical directors, adequately resourcing quality personnel to perform data review and outcomes reporting, integrating quality efforts into daily operations, and linking quality efforts to education and evaluation.
Quality Improvement Training for Personnel
The fifth element of quality in EMS is supporting and developing quality improvement training and/or certification for personnel dedicated to this effort. This includes providing ongoing training and support to help personnel develop the skills they need to drive quality improvement efforts.
Utilize EHRs and Reporting Systems
The sixth element of quality in EMS is utilizing electronic health records (EHRs) and reporting systems to support quality improvement monitoring and reporting requirements. This includes ensuring that agencies of all sizes have access to this technology and can implement it effectively.
Adopt Uniform Quality Terminology and Definitions
The eighth element of quality in EMS is adopting uniform quality terminology and definitions. This includes using standardized language to describe quality measures and outcomes, which will improve the ability of EMS medical directors, leaders, regulators, and policymakers to compare results between systems, regions, and countries.
Partnership Between the Operational and Medical Community
The ninth element of quality in EMS is partnering between the operational and medical community using a system-based approach in which patient/provider safety and quality care are highlighted. This requires a collaborative effort between EMS personnel and medical directors to ensure that quality improvement efforts are effective and aligned with the needs of patients and providers.
Promote a Culture of Safety
The tenth element of quality in EMS is promoting a culture of safety. Leaders must emphasize that the highest quality of care is only achieved when the process improvement program rewards those who identify and seek to prevent errors before they occur. This requires a culture of safety in which personnel are encouraged to report safety hazards and near-miss events, and safety improvement efforts like the integration of recognized solutions are rewarded.
How Rowland Emergency Enhances Patient Care
At Rowland Emergency, we understand the importance of delivering high-quality care to patients in the EMS industry. That's why we offer end-to-end custom EMS solutions that support the guidelines set forth by NAEMSP. Our solutions are designed to prioritize patient care, continuously advance EMS systems, embrace evidence-based practices, and support quality improvement efforts.
In Conclusion
Enhancing patient care in the EMS industry requires a commitment to quality improvement efforts that prioritize patient care, continuously advance EMS systems, embrace evidence-based practices, and promote a culture of safety. At Rowland Emergency, we are committed to helping EMS workers deliver the best possible care to their patients by providing end-to-end custom EMS solutions that adhere to these guidelines. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you enhance patient care in the EMS industry.