Date Issued: May 27, 2003
Date Effective: May 27, 2003
Subject: Procedure for Quality Assurance Analyst Operations
Policy: The El Paso Teller Enhanced 9-1-1 Authority and participating Public Safety Answering Points shall follow a standardized procedure for quality assurance work completed for PSAPs.
Purpose: To provide all parties with the responsibilities and commitments for using the Quality Assurance Analyst within a PSAP
Procedure: The following procedures have been established for the operation of the Quality Assurance Analyst, both for the Enhanced 9-1-1 Authority and the participating Public Safety Answering Point.
1- El Paso Teller Enhanced 9-1-1 Authority, through its System Manager Contractor, will provide an EMD protocol compliance Quality Assurance Analyst for requesting PSAPs to meet the EMD quality assurance requirements as set forth by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD)
2- E9-1-1 will authorize its System Manager Contractor to hire an employee, appropriately certified by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch to do the protocol compliance analysis for the requesting PSAP. The Quality Assurance Analyst will not be an employee of E9-1-1 or the PSAP, and neither 9-1-1 nor the PSAP will be responsible for providing any type of workers compensation insurance or other benefits.
3- Arrangements will be made with the PSAP to have a background check of the EMD Quality Assurance Analyst for clearance to work in the PSAP, if check is required by the PSAP.
4- E9-1-1 will provide the Quality Assurance Analyst with the necessary on-going training and equipment by the System Manager to provide the PSAP Contact with protocol compliance reports.
5- The specific services provided under this policy are:
a. Access to a certified EMD Quality Assurance Analyst.
b. Monthly rating reports on EMD protocol compliance of medical calls for the service, the number that is set by the National Academy.
c. Continued assistance in the planning and implementation of Quality Assurance programs and projects.
d. E9-1-1 will require its System Manager to maintain appropriate monitoring of the Quality Assurance Analysts work, so that quality services are provided to the PSAP as required by the NAEMD.
6- The Quality Assurance Analyst will file a copy of all non-compliant ratings with the E9-1-1s physician advisor.
As to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) participating in this program.
1-
Each month the PSAP EMD-Q will randomly select a minimum of 100 calls
for service where the PSAP provided EMD services and provide
the Quality
Assurance Analyst with
CAD printouts and cassette recordings of these calls
for
service. The random selection of calls
to be reviewed will be based on
National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD)
guidelines and
include as many
employees as possible.
2 The
PSAP will provide, as required, suitable workspace for Quality
Assurance Analyst within the Agency.
3 - The PSAP shall provide all
policies within their Agency relating to EMD,
subject to the approval of 9-1-1
and the System Manager. These policies
must include any policies required
by the NAEMD. A specific policy must
be attached that describes the
remediation and disciplinary process the PSAP
will use if the Quality Assurance
Analyst prepares a report that indicates
non-compliance with protocols.
4 The PSAP will insure the
Quality Assurance Analyst is informed of the
version of EMD protocols used by
the PSAP and when cardsets or software
was used during the processing of
specific medical calls for service and
provided all reports and
documentation that are pertinent to the case review.
5 PSAP shall be required under this policy to provide at least one person who
will be designated as the PSAP
EMD-Q. This represents a reduction by
one
(1) in the required number of
EMD-Qs authorized for agencies not using this
service. The PSAP can be authorized to have two
EMD-Qs for a specified
period of time under special
circumstances.
6 The PSAP EMD-Q shall be certified at the expense of 9-1-1 based on the
current requirement of the NAEMD.
7 The PSAP Manager shall assign a person to be the primary point of contact
between the PSAP and 911. In that capacity he or she will coordinate
with the
Analyst the ongoing protocol
compliance program, oversee CDE, and
complete statistical reports
towards continued Accreditation.
8 The
PSAP EMD-Q shall maintain his or her AQUA software proficiency
and EMD-Q
Certification in accordance with NAEMD requirements.
1 The sole
responsibility of the EMD Quality Assurance Analyst is to provide
an electronic or a
written report as requested by the PSAP of call taker
protocol compliance
based on the current requirements of the NAEMD to the
PSAP Manager or his designated representative.
2 The
Quality Assurance Analyst is responsible for providing the written report
indicating the score
towards the current requirements as outlined by the
NAEMD. Copies of non-compliant
reports shall be forwarded to the 9-1-1
Physician Advisor,
after review and concurrence by the PSAP, who will then
work with the Agency
Physician Advisor in confirmed cases of non-
compliance. If
there is a dispute over non-compliance the case shall be
reviewed by the 9-1-1 EMD-QA. It is the responsibility of the PSAP, through its policies,
to assure the remedial training, retraining, or disciplinary
action should be taken, assuring
that the requirements of the EMD program,
as established by NAEMD, are not in jeopardy.
3 PSAP
management and supervisors will not involve the Quality Assurance
Analyst in any direct
personnel performance issues.
4 After
having advised 9-1-1 of its intent, the PSAP may conduct its own
background check of
the Quality Assurance Analyst.
5 In the
event the PSAP exercises its right to prohibit the Quality Assurance
Analyst from physical
access to its center, and desires to continue use of this
service, the PSAP
shall contact 9-1-1 regarding the reasons for not allowing
access to the center.
The PSAP is only required to provide that information
necessary to convey a
basic understanding of its decision, and not any
confidential or
restricted information. It will be at
the sole discretion of 9-1-1
to decide to continue the service under the PSAP under these circumstances.
6 Notwithstanding anything in
this policy to the contrary, it is understood that
the services of the Quality
Assurance Analyst being provided to the PSAP
may be terminated by written notice
from either Party one (1) year in
advance of termination.