Whats New in MEDS 3.

8
Overview
The following summarizes the features and enhancements covered in the MEDS 3.8 release. MEDS 3.8 includes the new Critical Care template, which is documented in the Critical Care Quick Reference Guide. AMR Crew members and Other Caregiver fields have been separated. Numerous procedural field enhancements. Enhancements The AMR Crew Info tab has been expanded to allow for the documentation of three AMR crew members. The AMR Crew Info fields must be used for AMR personnel only. The Other Caregiver section on the Dispatch tab has been added to include: Name, Agency, Role, Certification, and Signature. The Other Caregiver fields are to be used for interns, students, hospital personnel, and fire department personnel that have provided patient care. The Other Caregiver name appears as an option in the Performed By field in the Tx & Rx procedures.

The Intubation Assistance field has been added to the Intubation procedure. This field includes pick list options such as; Cricoid Pressure, Endotracheal Tube Introducer, Cervical Collar, and Backboard. Atrial Bigeminy has been renamed Bigeminy in the Ectopy field for the EKG/ECG procedure. The EKG Monitor import date now defaults to the current date.

The procedure Status time no longer requires seconds in the Keyboard mode. The procedure Status Time or Prior to Arrival (PTA) must be entered for every procedure performed. If the Status Time or PTA is not entered, you will be prompted to do so during the validation process. Carbon Monoxide Monitoring procedure has been added to the Assessment tab. Narcotic medications now include additional tracking fields: Control ID, Wasted Amount, Witness, and Signature fields. These fields will only appear for the following medications: Morphine, Fentanyl, Vicodin, Versed, Valium, Etomidate, Ativan, Hydromorphone, Midazolam, or Diazepam. The OB/GYN tab now includes more specific exam questions including: Duration of Contractions, Frequency of Contractions, and Gestational Age. A Contractions procedure has also been created to accurately document contraction times. When using the Capnography procedure, it must be performed at least twice. Your documentation must include both an initial and final Capnography reading. The Non-Emergency and Critical Care Primary Impressions now include: Respiratory Monitoring, OB Monitoring, Pain Management, and Invasive Monitoring. Chemical Restraint has been renamed Chemically Sedated and Unable to Sit Upright has been renamed Requires Special Positioning. The new and updated Primary Impressions should assist with documenting the reason an ambulance was required to transport your patient. Your patients condition should be fully and accurately documented in the narrative. The PCR Transmission bar will now display red if your PCR failed to transmit and green if the transmission was successful.

Technical Support For Technical Support:

Contact your local CES or IT representative EMSC Help Desk at (866) 267-9111

Whats New in MEDS 3.8

Critical Care Template
MEDS 3.8 includes the new Critical Care template, which was built using the Non-Emergency model. The Critical Care template may not be available in all Operations. The Critical Care template includes the following assessments and procedures: Cervix Exam appears for female patients over the age of eight years old OB/GYN now includes more detailed exam questions Genital/Urinary assessment Gastrointestinal assessment Blood Products Chest Tube Monitoring Deep Tendon Reflexes Fetal Assessment Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Intrathecal/Epidural Catheter Invasive Line Monitoring Temporary Pacemaker Ventilator Ventriculostomy

The Other Medications procedure allows the clinician to properly document medications supplied by the hospital that are administered/monitored during transport. Medications administered and supplied by AMR are listed in the Medication procedure in the Treatments section.

Technical Support For Technical Support:

Contact your local CES or IT representative EMSC Help Desk at (866) 267-9111

Documentation Tips
Paramedic Intercepts and Rendezvous documentation can be confusing. Some general rules for this documentation are: Thoroughly document the reason for the intercept or rendezvous. When another caregiver provides care in your ambulance, ensure his/her name and agency is documented in the Other Caregiver section and the disposition is documented as a transport. When an AMR caregiver transports in another agencys ambulance, select Other Unit Transporting, and document the Transport Reason as Paramedic Intercept. Document patients full name, including middle initial. Document patients complete insurance information, including vehicle insurance on motor vehicle accidents. Doing so provides good customer service by avoiding unnecessary stress for your patient, caused by receiving an unpaid invoice from AMR which should have been paid by their insurance. Scan copies of insurance cards to assist with claims processing. Confirm the receiving facility before transmitting your PCR to avoid sending the patient care report to an incorrect facility, resulting in possible HIPAA issues.