Medicine and Health
Book Details

VACIS Clinical Dataset

First edition

Ambulance Victoria

VACIS - a sophisticated Ambulance clinical data collection and information system, for Paramedics to record patient’s information electronically.

About this Title

VACIS is a sophisticated, integrated Ambulance clinical data collection and information system. It allows Paramedics to record patient information electronically at the point of care on a ruggedised tablet PC.

The primary output of VACIS is an electronic Patient Care Record (ePCR); which replaces the handwritten Patient Care Record (PCR) that has been in use for many years.

Data from completed ePCRs is uploaded to a database, before being integrated into a Data Warehouse for reporting and analysis. VACIS can collect data on all emergency incidents attended by Paramedics, thus paving the way for research to further enhance Ambulance care and performance.

VACIS was designed and developed by the then Metropolitan Ambulance Service (now Ambulance Victoria), in cooperation with other Australian Ambulance Services.

The VACIS Clinical Dataset is a comprehensive set of clinical reference data available for selection by Paramedics as they complete an ePCR.

The premise of the VACIS Clinical Dataset is to:
- Provide an evidence base to clinical practice;
- Provide information to establish the level of compliance of Ambulance Paramedics with clinical protocols and procedures;
- Provide information which enables comparisons between event assessments at call-taking, infield and hospital stages, for the purpose of refining dispatch protocols;
- Assist in determining training requirements of individual Paramedics as a consequence of clinical experience;
- Provide the means by which specific cases can be audited, reviewed and investigated;
- Systematically collect and provide high quality valid data for the purpose of Ambulance based clinical research;
- Provide a standard approach to documenting patient assessment and treatment;
- Ensure continuity of patient care; and
- Ensure the quality and safety of patient care.

In order to achieve consistency and standardisation of Ambulance clinical data collection throughout Australia, the VACIS Collaboration was established.

The nature of this not-for-profit Collaboration is for all Ambulance Services who elect to become members to work together collaboratively to develop, implement and enhance VACIS throughout Australia.

Ambulance Services in most states and territories are members of the Collaboration, and thus have either implemented or committed to implement VACIS.

A significant factor of the VACIS Collaboration Agreement is to maintain a common Clinical Dataset; allowing standardised data collection across Australian Ambulance Services.

This will facilitate consistent and comparable performance reporting and benchmarking of key clinical indicators, and make possible the development of agreed national standards for Ambulance Service delivery.

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978-0-522-85686-6