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Emergency medical services information systems and a future EMS national database
Gregory Mears1, Joseph P Ornato, Drew E Dawson
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599, USA. gdm@med.unc.edu
Abstract:
Since the early 1970s, various publications and legislation have contributed to the development of emergency medical services (EMS) information systems and databases. Yet, even today, EMS systems vary in their ability to collect patient and systems data and to put these data to use. In addition, no means currently exists to easily link disparate EMS databases to allow analysis at local, state, and national levels. For this reason, the National Association of State EMS Directors is working with its federal partners at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Trauma and EMS program of the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA's) Maternal and Child Health Bureau to develop a national EMS database. Such a database would be useful in developing nationwide EMS training curricula, evaluating patient and EMS system outcomes, facilitating research efforts, determining national fee schedules and reimbursement rates, and providing valuable information on other issues related to EMS care.
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Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
Nursing Clinical Information System
A Nursing Clinical Information System (NCIS) is a specialized type of healthcare information system tailored to meet the unique needs of nursing practice. It incorporates the principles of nursing informatics to streamline information management and improve the quality of care delivery.
Critical attributes of NCIS include:
Standards of Care I
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation III: AED Use
Applications of GIS: Disaster Management and Emergency Response

