
The Center for Leadership, Innovation and Research in EMS (CLIR) is a Minnesota non-profit corporation with 501c3 charity designation from the IRS. CLIR is operated by a volunteer staff and overseen by a volunteer board of directors. The organizers that led to the formation of the corporation are the North Central EMS Institute (NCEMSI), the National EMS Management Association (NEMSMA) and the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC).
A blinded benchmarking program operated in partnership with the North Central EMS Institute and the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada that looks at operational (but not clinical) data. A randomly generated four (4) digit number is assigned to each participant. The participant gathers operational data according to the standardized definition for data including but not limited to payer mix, maintenance cost, subsidies, and run volume. They upload their data via an internet-based survey tool. We retrieve the data and put them in a spreadsheet with the other participants. All participants get the blinded data back. We don’t give it to anyone else, except that on occasion we will get a request from a researcher. When the researcher tells us what they are studying, we give them blinded data, but only the pieces they need for their study.
CLIR operates the world’s only EMS anonymous patient and provider safety reporting system that is called EVENT (EMS Voluntary Event Notification Tool). The scope of services includes all BLS and ALS ground services in the US and Canada. Anonymous patient safety, paramedic or vehicle near miss, and provider violence events are reported through a free web portal, screened, and then posted to a Google Group where interested people can see, and learn from them. Summary reports are published quarterly and annually and share on the webpage and through the EVENT list-serve.
Based on the success of EVENT, the Emergency Medical Error Reduction Group (EMERG) was formed to gather confidential, identified (non-anonymous) event reports and data. This information is used to help member organizations drive provider and patient safety improvements across the U.S. emergency medical system. As a listed Patient Safety Organization (PSO) with federal peer review protections, EMERG is able to ensure the confidentiality of all data and analysis within its member organizations as well as for any information shared with EMERG. Members of EMERG are provided their own secure website for event reporting, provided incident investigation assistance, and given access to education in areas such as continuous quality improvement and Just Culture.
Center for Leadership, Innovation and Research in EMS
56 33rd Ave S, PMB 355
St. Cloud, MN 56301