Process Improvement

Regional Performance Improvement Committee

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In response to the Virginia EMS Rules and Regulations, the Council has adopted a Regional Performance Improvement system that is supported by council staff, the Regional PI Committee, and Regional Medical Direction committee.  The Performance Improvement committee reports to the Regional Medical Direction committee.

The PI Committee is responsible for the maintenance of the Performance Improvement Plan. They also collaborate with the Trauma Systems Committee on the Trauma Performance Improvement Plan.

The Performance Improvement Committee meets on the third Thursday of the second month, quarterly.  Minutes may be found here.

Rappahannock EMS Council Quarterly Reporting Requirement:

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Quarterly Reporting has CHANGED! 

The REMS Performance Improvement (PI) Committee continues to shift its focus towards longer term performance assessment projects covering the entire REMS region. The REMS PI committee can generate these assessments through direct access to VPHIB data. Now that most agencies within the REMS region are utilizing VPHIB Version 3, there will no longer be a requirement to submit quarterly performance indicator metrics to the REMS Council. In other words, we can look it up ourselves!

Going forward, we ask each agency to focus on your individual Quality Management program and remain compliant with 12VAC5-31-600 (Quality Management Reporting). We ask that each agency maintain a current QA/QM point of contact with the REMS Council to help facilitate further communications.

As the REMS PI Committee develops their regional assessment projects, we will be asking each agency to help focus on the data accuracy and relevance within your individual patient care reports. Data Quality is a key ingredient for successful performance assessment projects. Image Trend Elite data report templates supporting these projects can be made available to each agency’s quality representative within the Report Writer module upon request. Please contact the Council at [email protected] with any questions you may have.


Does your agency have a Quality Management Program in Place?

Don't wait until your next agency inspection to find out that you don't have what you need for quality management and process improvement.

During agency inspections, the program representatives for the Virginia Office of EMS will validate compliance with Virginia EMS Regulations section 12 VAC 5-31-600 which addresses Quality Management.  In order to assist agencies with this obligation, the Regional QI Committee and the REMS Council Board of Directors has developed a model performance improvement plan. Please feel free to use this plan as is, or as a template at your agency.  Work with your agency administration and your OMD; modify it as you see fit to meet the needs of your agency.

12 VAC 5-31-600. Quality Management Reporting: An EMS agency shall have an ongoing Quality Management (QM) Program designed to objectively, systematically and continuously monitor, assess and improve the quality and appropriateness of patient care provided by the agency. The QM Program shall be integrated and include activities related to patient care, communications, and all aspects of transport operations and equipment maintenance pertinent to the agency's mission. The agency shall maintain a QM report that documents quarterly PPCR reviews, supervised by the Operational Medical Director.

Contact the REMS Council for assistance to ensure that your PI program is in compliance!
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Rappahannock EMS Council Performance Improvement Plan

The Rappahannock EMS Council Performance Improvement Committee operates under the Regional EMS Performance Improvement Plan & the Regional Trauma Performance Improvement Plan. The committee will review any EMS call as requested and supports the regional quarterly QI Reporting Program under our Medical Direction Committee. Data that is tracked will be used by our Operational Medical Directors in an effort to improve overall patient care within the region. When requesting an EMS call review, please use the EMS Incident Review Request Form for system and medical call reviews, and the Trauma Incident Review Request Form for trauma call reviews.
Performance Improvement & Quality Assurance: help REMS by...
  • Improving Quality, consistency and customer satisfaction in EMS systems
  • Providing a way that EMS systems can define and improve what they do
  • Supporting strategies to improve staffing patterns, education, and reimbursement
  • Assisting EMS to define, measure and analyze their system of care
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E.V.E.N.T. Reporting

E.V.E.N.T. is a tool designed to improve the safety, quality and consistent delivery of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). It collects data submitted anonymously by EMS practitioners. The data collected is used to develop policies, procedures and training programs to improve the safe delivery of EMS. A similar system used by airline pilots has led to important airline system improvements based upon pilot reported "near miss" situations and errors.

Any individual who encounters or recognizes a situation in which an EMS safety event occurred, or could have occurred, is strongly encouraged to submit a report by completing the appropriate E.V.E.N.T. Notification Tool (Patient Safety Event, Near Miss Event, Violence Event). The confidentiality and anonymity of this reporting tool is designed to encourage EMS practitioners to readily report EMS safety events without fear of repercussion.

Reports:
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