EMS News

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News

EMS Coordinator: Mato-Kuwapi Parker 

EMS Medical Director: Geoff Stroh, M.D.

Continuous Quality Improvement on the Move

The Continuous Quality Improvement Department, or CQI, is moving fast and furious. CQI is the concept of reviewing issues before they happen in a prospective manner rather than reviewing incidents that already occurred and caused an issue. Under the old Quality Assurance, or QA, method, someone had to do something wrong in order for there to be a review. CQI is an attempt to review data and concerns from the people who do the work (EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, first responders, etc.) and identify potential problems that can be corrected or modified before there is a patient care issue.

The CQI Policy (EMS Policy #703(PDF, 31KB)) outlines the structure of the CQI process. This policy also lists additional CQI requirements for Paramedics and AED Providers.

CQI Committee

The CQI Committee met for the first time on January 23, 2001, to discuss the goals and objectives of the CQI Committee. Geoff Stroh, CQI Medical Director, reviewed the CQI concept with the Committee members. This included the philosophies of CQI, goals of the CQI Committee, determination of quality indicators, and need for more focused CE.

The Committee membership is made up of representatives from the prehospital and hospital settings. This make-up is important because the Committee needs to make determinations on realistic issues that impact the field.