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Using data to influence the delivery of exceptional service to the community

Florida continues its commitment to providing quality Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for its citizens and visitors, services that are founded on the principles of quality improvement, ensuring that an optimal, uniform and standard of prehospital emergency medical care is available to everyone in Florida.

To make this commitment a reality, the Florida Prehospital EMS Tracking and Reporting System (EMSTARS) program was created. This program provides for the collection of incident level data from EMS agencies and subsequent analysis for benchmarking and identifying quality improvement initiatives. This program has been implemented with the guidance of the EMS Advisory Council Data Committee who has defined and maintains a Data Dictionary ensuring the standardized collection of EMS incident data into the state repository providing project oversight and steering.

Additional information about Florida's Prehospital EMS Tracking and Reporting System is available in this EMSTARS Basic Facts  document.

Spotlight - NEMSIS 3.0

Please note that over the next several months the National EMS Information System Technical Assistance Center will be releasing the NEMSIS Version 3 dataset and products with the Official Release scheduled for late October 2011.

The Bureau of EMS, Data Section will be hosting webex meetings beginning in August to provide more information and updates.

NEMSIS 3.0 Release

The National EMS Information System Technical Assistance Center (NEMSIS TAC) will be releasing the NEMSIS Version 3 dataset and products for implementation / development on July 21, 2011.

The National EMS Information System Version 3.0 represents a revision from the existing version 2.2.1 released in 2005 as well as the initial movement of this standard into Health Level 7 (HL7). The National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) Version 3.0 will soon become the EMS industry data standard capable of describing EMS from an operational, service delivery, and patient care perspective.

NEMSIS Version 3.0 provides a much richer level of documentation within EMS and enables greater linkages to other patient care systems. Details on NEMSIS Version 3 can be accessed at www.nemsis.org

Bureau of EMS - Florida Release Plan for NEMSIS 3.0

The EMS Advisory Council Data Committee in partnership with the Bureau of EMS, Data Section will develop Florida?s Transition Plan to NEMSIS 3.0 to include the Florida Data Dictionary (for NEMSIS 3.0), the implementation plan and time frames, the time period for accepting NEMSIS 2.2.1 and NEMSIS 3.0, and other transition needs.

Work on Florida?s Transition Plan will begin with the July 21 release with further planning following the NEMSIS 3.0 "Official Release" scheduled for late October 2011. Within 3 months of the NEMSIS 3.0 "Official Release", a final draft of the Florida Transition Plan to NEMSIS 3.0 will be released.

Important Notes:

1. At this time and until further notification, the Bureau of EMS will only accept files that are compliant with the current Florida EMS Data Dictionary 1.4.1 (NEMSIS 2.2.1 compliance) for agencies reporting to EMSTARS.

2. EMS agencies who are currently submitting to EMSTARS should not transition to NEMSIS 3.0 software prior to notification from the Bureau on the transition / implementation plan.

3. EMS agencies should communicate with their software vendors about their vendors plans to support Florida EMSTARS 1.4.1 and their vendor's plans for transitioning to NEMSIS 3.0.

4. EMS agencies should negotiate with their vendors for the continued support of Florida EMSTARS 1.4.1 software throughout Florida's transition to NEMSIS 3.0.

5. EMS agencies that are procuring new ePCR (electronic patient care reporting) software should not finalize their negotiations without consultation with the Bureau of EMS, Data Section and are advised not to procure software that will not allow for Florida EMSTARS 1.4.1 support until Florida is ready to begin its transition to accept NEMSIS 3.0.

6. The Bureau of EMS and the EMSAC Data Committee will provide notification once the Florida Transition Plan and transition timeframes are finalized for Florida's NEMSIS 3.0 release.

Although NEMSIS is releasing NEMSIS 3.0, the NEMSIS TAC will continue to accept NEMSIS 2.2.1 data from states for at least three years to allow software vendors, states and agencies to implement NEMSIS 3.0.

For further information and assistance, please contact the Bureau of EMS, Data Section staff by email or by phone.

Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your email communications may therefore be subject to disclosure.

If you have a story to tell, or something or someone to Spotlight, please contact Stephanie Daugherty at the Bureau of EMS, Data Unit.