General Reporting Information
Health care records submitted to the Florida Department of Health from licensed emergency medical services (EMS) providers are made confidential and exempt from public records requests by section 401.30(4), Florida Statutes.
The Department has created an electronic means by which the licensee can transfer individual patient care records of emergency calls to the Department called the Emergency Medical Services Tracking and Reporting System (EMSTARS).
EMSTARS
EMSTARS provides submitting EMS agencies with an abundance of reporting tools that can be used for local performance improvement and benchmarking. EMS agencies can view standardized quality assurance reports and to customize reports that assist clinical and operational decision-making.
The Department also publishes statewide aggregated reports that can be used to determine state level performance. The Department welcomes provider feedback to enhance or support the creation of new reports that can be used to improve EMS care.
Data Requests
The Department encourages the use of EMS data for the advancement of medical research. Individuals may request EMSTARS data via the EMSTARS Data Use Agreement. Interested parties should submit the data use agreement to EMSTARS@FLHealth.gov.
Once the completed form is received by the Department, the request will be reviewed and parties will be notified of approval, denial, or request for more information.
INSTITUTIONAL Review Board
Review and approval by the Institutional Review Board is required for all data that is released. EMS agencies requesting their own data should contact the EMS section directly.
Researchers with approved agreements will proceed for approval from the Florida Department of Health’s Institutional Review Board. Approvals for the use of prehospital data are not granted automatically, but are reviewed and approved by the Department based on their potential to reduce morbidity and mortality and advance medical research and medical education.
Data may not be released unless there is a documented need demonstrating the advancement of medical research or medical education in the interest of reducing morbidity or mortality pursuant to Chapter 405, Florida Statutes.
EMS Maps and Reports
General EMS Reports
EMSTARS Time Interval Reports
EMSTARTS Cardiovascular Reports
EMS providers may log into EMSTARS for more comprehensive reporting tools that are used for quality assurance.
National EMS Information System (NEMSIS)
NEMSIS provides the framework for collecting, storing, and sharing standardized EMS data from states nationwide. The NEMSIS database empowers EMS stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels with the information necessary to accurately assess EMS needs and performance today – and strategically plan for tomorrow.
NEMSIS Public-Release Research Dataset does not contain information that identifies patients, EMS agencies, receiving hospitals, or reporting states.
There are several aggregated reports available to assist EMS agencies at the local, state, and national levels. To make a request for data including additional NEMSIS variables, contact N. Clay Mann.
Contact Us
DOH is dedicated to providing excellent customer service. For information on the Florida’s EMS data systems, please contact the EMS section:
Florida Department of Health
Division of Emergency Preparedness and Community Support, Emergency Medical Oversight
EmergencyMedicalServices@FLHealth.gov