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emsCharts News & Press

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - August 19, 2013 - emsCharts today announced enhanced security options for electronic signature capture in their ePCR software. The additional security was approved in July by the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy as satisfying their requirement for "positive identification" when an individual "prescribes, administers, or dispenses a dangerous drug."

When the security features are in place for an EMS agency using emsCharts, signatures on a patient record must be validated electronically via security questions. A crew member signing a chart will be confronted with a series of randomly displayed questions that must be answered correctly before the chart can be locked or processed further. The questions are intended to be specific enough to an individual that it is assumed that only that particular individual will know the answer to the question(s).

The Ohio State Board of Pharmacy requires Emergency Medical Services to document, using "positive identification" practices, anytime that a dangerous drug transaction takes place, including but not limited to "the receipt, use, administration, destruction, and wastage" of the drug. On July 31, 2013, the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy approved emsCharts for use by EMS agencies for the electronic capture of positive identification signatures.

Additionally, emsCharts has created a "Wasted Medication" log report, which is searchable by date.The report displays date/time, wasted medication with dose, "wasted by", and witnesses.

"While the new security features specifically satisfy the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy requirements, the thought is that any EMS agency can take advantage of this enhancement," states Pete Goutmann, President of emsCharts, Inc. "EMS agencies that handle controlled substances as part of their formulary are accountable for the proper use and disposal of those drugs. Implementing a similar positive I.D. policy for electronic signatures using emsCharts can ensure that appropriate actions are taking place when they are documented as such."

The enhanced e-signature security features are available now free-of-charge to emsCharts customers, requiring only some simple configuration by the EMS agency.

emsCharts (www.emscharts.com) provides pre-hospital care professionals with dynamic, state-of-the-art solutions for optimized patient health care, quality assurance and operational productivity. Developed in conjunction with and fully tested by medical and public safety professionals, emsCharts software products provide a total solution at a flat monthly fee.

Pete Goutmann
Vice President
emsCharts, Inc.
600 Mifflin Road, Suite 102
Pittsburgh, PA 15207
866.647.8282 x 77090
goutmann@emscharts.com