Privacy

Remove all information identifying the reporter a soon as possible after receipt. Reporters may be contacted by an editor for clarification of the case report, but immediately thereafter the identifying information will be removed from the record and physically returned to the reporter.
All identifying information will be removed from the reports before entry into the database or publication. This includes all hospital names, EMS services, personnel names, geographic locations and patient name, age, gender or any other information which might lead to association of the case with a particular provider, agency, or region.
The original report forms are then destroyed to eliminate any possibility of subsequent handwriting identification.
No information stored in the MEPARS database will identify any specific EMS provider, health care facility, individual or patient specific patient characteristics.
Reports to MEPARS are considered quality assurance documents and protected under Ohio revised code 2305.253