“Thank you” comes few and far between in EMS. Patients occasionally thank first responders, who definitely deserve it. They work in all climates, all environments, and whenever called. Behind the scenes, EMS billers and supporting staff are even less likely to receive recognition for their dedication and hard work.

Sometimes, EMS billing staff ask field providers to help find a copy of a patient care record. This might work out alright… until the field providers get busy with other things. Sure, the PCR ends up where it needs to be, but all the lost time adds up-and it’s expensive. If you want to bypass the delay, ePCR is your answer. Electronic patient care records combine with today’s advancements in data security to give the EMS billing department, the ambulance managers, and all of those involved in the QA/QI process access to patient care records at any time, on almost any type of electronic device.

The EMS industry has a knack for using acronyms! We love to have an alphabet soup set of letters represent something important. The problem with that is, not all of the acronyms are common within the medical industry. MLS is not a standardized acronym for Multi-Level Stretcher although that comes together kind of nicely. ePCRs, purposefully only permit standardized medical acronyms which, while it can be frustrating to the MAF, multiple acronym fan, creates a much better medical document that can be used by other healthcare providers along the healthcare continuum as they treat the patient.

What is your EMS age? Sometimes, gauging your EMS age can be as simple as recalling the model number of your first cardiac monitor. Or, these days, it could be gauged by how you keep track of or store your EMS data.

We get it! You’ve performed all of the skills you’ve learned since First Responder class, on this one patient. The patient should name a kid after you, or at least the gold fish! Here’s the thing, we can chat all day long about how a call went, and hopefully that detail is in your PCR narrative (maybe minus the part where you used the Hurst tool to break open the patient’s medicine cabinet). But, if you don’t have that billing information on the ePCR and the patient’s signature on the signature form, you might as well call off your next shift. Or, at least hide from the billing office and the supervisor! They will hunt you down! Lack of billing info leads to lack of payment, making it harder for you to continue the lifesaving work we love you for.

Any experienced EMS professional knows how the story goes. You get on scene only to find that you left your paper assessment pad back at the station. You sort through all of your 37 pants and shirt pockets..NOTHING!