ABSTRACTS
Evaluating the Results of a Quality Management System Using Qualitative and Quantitative DataAuthor: Joe Locke and Kelly Wright | | Associate Authors:
Introduction: In July 2019, the Monroe Fire Department (Ohio) established a formal quality management (QM) system to evaluate the care provided by emergency medical services (EMS). This program provides a perpetual, systematic process to enhance the overall quality of departmental prehospital emergency medical care. The QM system utilizes data from the electronic prehospital report to identify errors, provide education, and understand why errors occur. Objectives: To evaluate how a quality management program affects EMS care. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis using our internal dataset containing every EMS report generated from May 2019 through March 2024. One hundred percent of EMS patient care reports were universally and objectively assessed, referencing current policy and protocol. Results: All EMS reports from May 2019 to March 2024 were evaluated, totaling 9718 reports. A total of 962 errors were identified. Before the QM program’s implementation, the Monroe FD was experiencing monthly errors in the hundreds in May and June 2019. Since the program was implemented, monthly errors have dropped approximately 89% from a pre-QM program average of approximately 112 errors per month to approximately 13 errors per month (July 2019–March 2024). Conclusion: We observed a stark decrease in total errors and an increase in EMS provider competence following implementation of the QM program. These findings should place data-driven QM programs as a priority in the prehospital care system.
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