PSTrax, a technology service that helps fire departments across the country automate their apparatus, equipment and inventory checks, has rolled out a new program that provides total trackability and auditing of fire department drug supplies.
Early adopter fire departments are discovering the benefits of the program’s flexibility to “structure customization” fully to their tracking, chain of custody, auditing and reporting needs without investing extensive upfront time and resources.
Based on department requirements, PSTrax does all the setup of a complete reporting and tracking system accessible from any smartphone, desktop, tablet, laptop, and Toughbook.
Increased concerns about narcotics, consequent chain-of-custody pressure from the DEA and other government agencies, and paper-based tracking protocols that leave a lot of room for error drove development of the new program. In addition, when agencies such as the DEA come calling, they want immediate and comprehensive reports, an often-difficult challenge for paper systems.
Not only will this system provide a highly sophisticated and reliable chain-of-custody overview, it provides those in charge easy ability to see a daily report about everything from discrepancies to restocking issues. Given their responsibility for irregularities of any kind around drugs, command personnel want to run an extremely tight ship in this area.
“Automating, maintaining, and updating drug inventories without a hiccup are musts for today’s fire service, which is administering these drugs with ever-increasing frequency. This also can help EMS, private ambulance services, prisons and other organizations responsible for stocking and rapid replacement of heavy-duty drugs,” notes PSTrax Principal Scott Bergeron.
He adds that often third-party physicians are involved in fire department paramedic programs. Given that their license is on the line, they too have a huge stake in making sure everything is accounted for and administered properly.
The PSTrax Drug Module program also helps the fire service:
- Efficiently track down missing drugs. Unusual patterns or occurrences are much more subject to fast detection because the accountability system is so complete and current;
- Maintain stocks at proper levels. Reporting shows understocking, often due to being on calls, and alerts will let the next shift know what to restock during their arriving check;
- Identify any anomalies, deficiencies or problems, as anything out of whack shows up in red on the log sheet;
- Meet any tracking and reporting demand, such as daily reports requested by the DEA and/or the chain of command;
- Develop a much more robust and secure system around drug accountability and chain of custody—including tightening controls on system access to specifically authorized users.
More: www.pstrx.com
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