FieldMed Blog

Completing patient reports and logging treatment shouldn’t inhibit delivering quality care -- especially when seconds matter. 

Designed for documenting patient treatment and other medical information, electronic patient care reports (ePRC) are an invaluable tool for EMS agencies. 

Both out in the field and back in the office, ePRC software streamlines EMS agency operations, from tracking patient treatment to administrative reporting and evaluation.

But how?

6 Ways ePCR Software Helps First Responders Help Patients 

Though a newer technology, ePCR software makes brings efficiency to all elements of delivering emergency medical care through: 

1. Enhanced workflows
2. Secure and simplified record keeping 
3. Complete data collection
4. Portability 
5. Standardization
6. Accessible patient history 

1. Enhanced Workflows

EMS PCR software is like having an extra partner with you in the field. 

As you treat patients, ePRC software works alongside you. With templates and forms -- both of which can be customized to specific situations or certain protocols -- data capture is simple and seamless. It naturally follows patient care procedures and is at the ready, allowing first responders to hit the ground running when dispatched. 

ePCR’s value extends beyond work in the field. 

Paired with billing software, ePCR systems automatically translate medical treatment codes into billing codes on invoices. All the care you’ve provided to a patient is accounted for and accurately logged on billing statements that only need final approval. Your revenue cycles become:

• Manageable
• Timely
• Predictable. 

In addition, patient information captured during treatment is logged as it would appear in a final report. You’ll spend less time on the paperwork end of things. 

2. Simplified and Secure Record Keeping 

Electronic patient care report systems are more than just ambulance software. They’re one of the safest and most efficient ways to manage patient records.  

Designed for use anywhere, ePCR files are stored away on encrypted, cloud-based servers. All you’ll need to do is simply look up the patient and their medical records are at your fingertips in a matter of seconds. Any updates to a patient file are logged and archived automatically. 

And you’ll never need to worry about the wrong person accessing private patient information. Digital patient records are absolutely protected and only accessible to those with credentials. Unlike paper records, any time an ePCR file is used, it’s tracked. 

Between calls or at the end of a shift, you won’t be lugging around a giant stack of paper charts that need to be sorted and filed away. The software handles the heavy lifting. 

3. Complete Data Collection

In the heat of the moment, patient treatment requires complete attention. 

Sometimes focusing on a patient’s condition means you’re not concerned about logging the minutia of their treatment that doesn’t impact care later on. 

Electronic patient care reporting software is easily set aside while caring for a patient. Those few extra minutes devoted to delivering care rather than documentation can make a major difference in a patient’s outcome. When treatment is completed, you’re able to pick up the ePCR and tie up any loose ends. 

Patient reports won’t be considered complete until they’re actually filled out fully. If any fields are left blank, the software lets you know. 

Having complete data on patient treatment helps you paint a more accurate picture of your agency’s performance -- from response times to the types of treatments administered. Should anyone want to dive into the finer points of your department’s operations, you’ll have detailed information readily available. 

4. Accessible Patient History 

Do you remember every detail about that patient you previously treated? 

Don’t worry; your ePCR system does. 

As a patient is treated, their medical record is updated, waiting for when you need it next with important information called out. This can be a literal lifesaver for treating patients -- especially those who have conditions requiring specialized care, such as medication allergies.

Time spent treating the patient is maximized and not wasted on asking basic screening questions. 

That same information can quickly be provided to the next person in a patient’s chain of care -- even sent to an ER while you’re en route. There’s no lag in communicating important patient data or struggle to decipher sloppy handwritten notes.

5. Portability 

Unlike paper charts and files, ePCR software is immediately accessible anywhere you are -- even when you’re working outside an ambulance. 

Using mobile technology, such as a tablet, patients’ digital medical reports are with you from the moment you’re dispatched to a call. And they stay with you until treatment is complete. 

If an additional form is needed during patient treatment, it’s quickly pulled up. There’s no more thumbing through paper charts or fumbling with clipboards and pens. 

6. Standardization

At bigger EMS agencies -- both public and private -- keeping everyone on the same page is a challenge. 

And when multiple agencies within the same municipality respond to the same call, communicating critical information in different formats can be a nightmare and waste precious time. 

As an emergency services software, ePCR solves these problems. 

With standardized EMS PCR software, all first responders use the same digital patient files to collect the same information. Data collection and communication is streamlined, making first responders -- no matter their agency or primary dispatch location -- more effective in treating patients. 

Should patient care reporting standards change, updates are made once and implemented across the entire ePRC system. 

EMS + ePCR Software = Better Patient Outcomes 

Though designed for medical professionals to keep better records and improve daily operations, patients benefit most from ePCR software.

By adding more efficiency to existing workflows, EMS personnel are able to focus on the most important element of their jobs -- helping patients get better.  

The best ePCR software is a partner that has your back, both on-scene and in the office.

Learn how FieldMed’s 911/EMS software brings all the benefits of ePRC to your agency.