WASHINGTON — The NHTSA Office of EMS will host a roundtable discussion on Using Data to Improve EMS Systems of Care July 28 at 1 p.m. ET as part of the EMS Focus Federal webinar series.
Data collection and its use continue to be an important topic within EMS, across agencies and systems and at the local, state and national level. During the discussion, a panel of experts will address how local and state EMS systems use data to benchmark performance and guide quality improvement efforts to provide better care for patients and communities.
“As noted in the strategic plan adopted by the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS), together with our federal partners, the NHTSA Office of EMS continues to support activities –– such as NEMSIS and EMS Compass –– that help the EMS community use data to improve their operations and implement evidence-based care,” said Drew Dawson, director of the Office of EMS. “EMS agencies collect vast amounts of data from patient care records, computer-aided dispatch systems, and other sources that can be used to steer quality improvement projects, improve operational efficiency, focus training efforts, and more.”
The panel discussion will include insights from N. Clay Mann, PhD, MS, with the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) and Alex Garza, MD, MPH, a medical director and EMS Compass Steering Committee and Evidence Review Working Group member. Also participating in the discussion is Nick Nudell, MS, NRP, project manager for the national EMS Compass Initiative, which is focused on using EMS data to develop measures for improved care.
Attendees will be encouraged to participate in an open question-and-answer session, with the webinar and Q&A lasting approximately one hour. Register for the July 28 webinar.