Ems Core Quality Measures Project

Core Quality Measures Project

The purpose of the California EMS System Core Quality Measures Project is to increase the accessibility and accuracy of pre-hospital data for public, policy, academic and research purposes and to facilitate EMS system evaluation and improvement. Ultimately, the project highlights opportunities to improve the quality of patient care delivered within an EMS system.

Core quality measures are tools that define data, communicate information about current evidence-based activities or processes, establish a consensus, and inspire discussion and action based on the results. The preliminary measures were derived from a set of performance measures developed through projects by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Quality Forum, and the National Association of State EMS Officials’ EMS Compass Project. In 2018, the EMS Compass Project was transitioned to The National EMS Quality Alliance (NEMSQA). NEMSQA published a set of re-specified measures in 2019 and maintains the measures on an annual basis. The Core Quality Measures Project aligns with the national measure set, focusing on meaningful patient populations and interventions to improve quality of care in California.

Participation in the Core Quality Measures Project by local EMS agencies (LEMSAs) enhances statewide EMS system evaluation, continuous quality improvement efforts, and data-driven actions by EMS systems across California. LEMSAs and EMS providers should use the measures to review their performance, compare results to similar regions, and to drive quality improvement activities. The EMS system quality improvement regulations (CCR, Title 22, Division 9, Chapter 12) define the reporting requirements for local EMS agencies, EMS service providers, and base hospitals in their role as part of the EMS system. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the implementation of an EMS Quality Improvement Program and the use of defined indicators, such as the core quality measures, to assess the local EMS system.