County Agency Helps State

The Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA), the local emergency medical services (EMS) agency for San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono Counties, was instrumental in helping the State of California become the first state to submit an improved version of prehospital emergency medical data to the federal National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS). The data was submitted from the California EMS Information System (CEMSIS) by ICEMA, which manages the database through a contract with the state. The new NEMSIS Version 3 data standards were developed by the federal government to obtain information that will be used to improve EMS across the country. The California Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Authority announced the milestone on Nov. 5 following a similar announcement by the NEMSIS Technical Advisory Group. The EMS Authority, through its partnership with ICEMA, submitted the test data using NEMSIS Version 3 standards. California recently adopted these new standards for CEMSIS. The NEMSIS Version 3 data standards will allow local EMS agencies, such as ICEMA, to compare the local emergency medical care provided by EMS personnel to other EMS providers throughout the nation for performance benchmarking and quality improvement. The EMS Authority noted, "This is an incredible accomplishment for the California local EMS agencies and the EMS Authority. It was possible because of the commitment to and vision for its potential value from the Office of Traffic Safety, our local EMS agency partners, software developers and the many providers throughout the State. The migration to NEMSIS Version 3 will enhance our ability to evaluate our EMS systems, develop quality measures and integrate with other data sources, including hospital electronic medical records." The volume of information collected by EMS personnel in San Bernardino County dwarfs much of the data collected by many states. San Bernardino County has the 12th largest county population in the nation and is geographically larger than nine states. "San Bernardino County helps California play a pivotal role in setting treatment standards for the rest of the nation and the effort by ICEMA will ensure that the data collected here is considered by national and state policy makers," says Tom Lynch, ICEMA EMS Administrator. "Never before has information collected throughout California been included in decisions that help structure emergency medical care policies and protocols used by EMS providers throughout the state and the nation." "ICEMA is proud to be able to help the State achieve this milestone," Lynch said. "The new data standards, adopted by California, will provide the framework for linking the care provided by EMS personnel in the field to the care provided in the hospital," says Reza Vaezazizi, MD, ICEMA Medical Director, adding that the new standards will eventually help establish paramedic services as an integral part of a patient-centered and value-based healthcare system and improve the overall health and well-being of patients throughout our communities and the nation. "The transition to the new data standard is underway in San Bernardino County," says Lynch. "It represents a giant leap forward in healthcare in San Bernardino County and supports the San Bernardino Countywide Vision (www.sbcounty.gov/vision) by promoting community and individual health. ICEMA is pleased to be part of this effort and is looking forward to the continued partnerships it has developed with cities, private and public provider agencies, other county departments, and the state as we move forward."