Empress now using Wireless ACR's

[Oswegowind 17]

Empress EMS has also gone wireless. And paperless??? Empress has recently gone to a computer based ACR system that reportedly, once mastered, reduces waste and time. Using toughbook computers and transmitting ACR's to hospitals and the billing department wirelessly is one of the most progressive EMS tools to date. Technology forward so to say. I am not familiar with any other "local" agency using the same technology, but I don't get around as much as I used to. I am big on tech, and I think this was a great idea, and hope the transition goes smoothly!

Not only is the tech side great, and progressive, but this reduces waste. No more paper ACR's, even though it is currently transmitted to the fax machine at the receiving facility, it reduces the amount of paper being used. As well, it reduces the size of storage facilities needed to store the "hard copies" or original ACR's (PCR). Instead of 100 boxes per year, just a few hundred gigs on a storage drive. As well, dispatch info, address, in some cases patient info and insurance can all be loaded from dispatch, reducing the amount of "double" work that used to be done on each and every job. Now it just needs to be verified.

Now if the hospitals could have their IT departments write a programs to seamlessly integrate the system so that copies of paperwork could be transmitted with patient info instead of some clerk making copies to go. As well the ACR's could be transmitted directly into the patient's chart or record.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Progress!

[trauma74 111]

I have seen a few demonstrations of PCR software and I love it. I think it will be the way of the future. No more worrying about sloppy handwriting and making billing easier. The systems can store patient names so if you have a frequent flyer, you can select their name and have their info autopopulated into the name, address, SS#, DOB etc.

It is a progressive move for a private EMS agency to spend the money to get such an advanced system. Good move on their part. Some agencies are using the "ePCR" which is kind of like a scantron form. At the end of the shift or whenever, these "ePCRs" are scanned into a computer. It makes an electronic record from the ePCR and it is used for billing and records managment.

While the ePCR system is an advancement, I have heard from the field personnel that the ePCRs are crappy. I would not waste money on a system like this. I would go directly to the type of system that Empress is using. Good luck with the new technology.

[ems-buff 81]

I really love the tablet PCR'S It's sooo easy all you do is point and click and if there isn't a catigory for your incident. Then you just type it in. I personal belive empress ems is just doing it to bill fast, but it does cut our time in the local ED in half. The only thing is it take's some getting use to. On a plus note, it update's protocal's as needed. It has a build in drug list. I am a real fan of it. It really make's things alot better.

[Guest partyrock]

One of the Manhattan Voluntaries are using tablet PC based ACRs, I believe is Lennox Hill, but I may be wrong. At $2 a pop you'd think FDNY would be pursuing a similar system, but no such luck. Talking to the medic I saw using the pc version his biggest complaint was that they weren't storing location or patient history. He was told that info would overload the pc's too quickly without a central server to store it and transmit it with each job.

[Guest paramedico987]

I HATE these things... the report that prints out tells you nothing about what happened to the patient. The progressive de-emphasis of narrative documentation is sickening. No amount of check boxes or yes/no point and click options can make up for a well written narative.

I was all for it unitil I saw the software; I had assumed it would be similar to the state PCR in adobe acrobat or something. The program has information scattered and disorganized, however my biggest grievance is that the chief complaint section [amongst others] is a FINITE DROP DOWN LIST. Even the medication section had finite parameters. For instance in the Morphine administration section doses are finite in 2mg incriments... how is one to document giving 5mg, a fairly common dose?

ACR's shouldn't sacrifice medical documentation in the name of billing. You can't pretend that every ambulance ride was neccessary and meets medicare billing requirements, and the program forces you to do so. I'm forced to LIE on my documentation...

In the words of Bob Lockwood... "A sentence is worth a thousand check boxes." I'll take a series 5 PCR any day over this crap, even if you can't read my god awful handwriting.

[ems-buff 81]

This is true, for the 911 side of empress it is a real feild day for Lawyers, but on the transport side, it is so much easyer. I mean when I do 911's as rare as it is. I still check all the stuff down, and write as i would on a normal PCR. I think it come's down to... If someone takes 10 to 15 mins. to TYPE a PCR because they are not use to it, whereas. takeing 3 to 4 mins to just wirte it. Of corse they are going to miss the old way. I mean this is my oppion. I might be worng, but I think that's why some people hate it also.

[Rimrockny24 0]

Maybe someone can correct if I am wrong but I think I heard that Regional EMS in orange county was trying out something similar to this last year.

[Guest]

I would agree with previous posters, these are the way of the future. Like it or not, Electronic reporting is coming. I am directly involved in looking into this for my agency. There are many different software vendors out there. Many of the programs are able to be customized to your local protocols and operations. It is just a matter of set up. Furthermore, at least the ones I have looked at, you have the choice whether to create a narrative based on what you have entered, use part of it, or write your own entire narrative. There are many good reasons to use these devices like the ability to look up regulars (to the point it would have old EKGs), potentially cut down on spelling errors and legibility issues, from a QA/QI benchmarking standpoint, these are tremendous time savers. Currently in my agency, we complete a paper PCR then return to the station and enter it in a computer. By going to computers, we would save that step. It automatically synchs each time it comes into contact with the server (i.e. when you back into the station). Another upcoming thing is the ability to transmit data from your cardiac monitor to the computer, thus automatically linking and documenting your EKG, vital signs, Capnography, etc. Also, uploading pictures from an MVC taken by a digital camera into the record is another plus. An agency near me has loaded a spanish/portuguese translator into the computer. They also have treatment protocols built in. I have also recently looked at one that will have the PDR (the big drug book) in it. Lots of potential for different things.

No doubt, there is a learning curve. The computers are not perfect. Early on it takes crews extra time.Systems are not cheap. There could be breakdowns. There are many scenarios that pose potential negatives However, in the long run I think it is a great idea. One way or the other its coming. Just my thoughts.

[Guest]

I would agree with previous posters, these are the way of the future. Like it or not, Electronic reporting is coming. I am directly involved in looking into this for my agency. There are many different software vendors out there. Many of the programs are able to be customized to your local protocols and operations. It is just a matter of set up. Furthermore, at least the ones I have looked at, you have the choice whether to create a narrative based on what you have entered, use part of it, or write your own entire narrative. There are many good reasons to use these devices like the ability to look up regulars (to the point it would have old EKGs), potentially cut down on spelling errors and legibility issues, from a QA/QI benchmarking standpoint, these are tremendous time savers. Currently in my agency, we complete a paper PCR then return to the station and enter it in a computer. By going to computers, we would save that step. It automatically synchs each time it comes into contact with the server (i.e. when you back into the station). Another upcoming thing is the ability to transmit data from your cardiac monitor to the computer, thus automatically linking and documenting your EKG, vital signs, Capnography, etc. Also, uploading pictures from an MVC taken by a digital camera into the record is another plus. An agency near me has loaded a spanish/portuguese translator into the computer. They also have treatment protocols built in. I have also recently looked at one that will have the PDR (the big drug book) in it. Lots of potential for different things.

No doubt, there is a learning curve. The computers are not perfect. Early on it takes crews extra time.Systems are not cheap. There could be breakdowns. There are many scenarios that pose potential negatives However, in the long run I think it is a great idea. One way or the other its coming. Just my thoughts.

Some models including the one that Empress is using are capable of hooking up to the LP12. I think that the bugs should be atleast 90% worked out prior to putting the units in the field however, that is far from the case at this point.