2019 - 01 NYS NEMSIS 3.4.0 Transition emsCharts Agencies Update

To: EMS Agency Executive Directors, Operations Directors, Chiefs, Captains, Quality Improvement Chairs
 
Re: NEMSIS 3.4.0 2019 – 01 emsCharts Agencies Update
 
The Bureau has been in regular communication with the development staff at emsCharts and together we advise the following:

• emsCharts has worked diligently to implement the changes needed to comply with the NYS Validation Rules and fix any schematron errors from the changes implemented on July 15th
• emsCharts has identified previously completed charts that did not comply with the NYS Validation Rules and is in the process of returning those charts to the EMS agencies for revisions and resubmission

 
Below are some areas with which crews have reported difficulty with completing:
 

• Current Medications (Patient Page):
  • To appear in the box on the patient page:  medications selected should be coded entries.
  • emsCharts will automatically attempt to match manually typed entries by name to be exported.  
  • The rule requires at least one medication be matched or coded.  
• Current Allergies (Patient Page):
  • To appear in the box on the patient page:  allergies selected must be coded entries.
  • Entries that are not coded will not be exported to the State.
• Medical History (Patient Page):
  • To appear in the box on the patient page:  medical history selected must be coded entries.
  • Entries that are not coded will not be exported to the State.
• Glasgow Coma Score (Activity Log on Page 8):
  • GCS rule will require that the first vital sign row record the initial GCS score.
  • Subsequent vital rows will use the prior GCS recorded in order to address the rule unless manually entered by the crew.
  • Activity log entries where no other vital sign data is recorded do not require GCS.

 
We recognize that these are significant changes to the documentation standard and are confident that the changes will improve our documentation quality.  Any EMS agency encountering difficulty, a challenging situation and/or has a suggestion for improvement in the future, please send that to your regional program agency director.  The implementation team will review all proposals and consider for our next update due in late 2019 or early 2020.
 
Stay Safe!
 
Peter
 
Peter L. Brodie, BS, AEMT
EMS Data Coordinator
Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems
 
New York State Department of Health
875 Central Avenue
Albany, New York 12206
 
ph: 518.402.0996 | peter.brodie@health.ny.gov
http://www.health.ny.gov