To complete this task, users need the following First Due permissions:

EMS Setup - Manage

• Allow

EMS Setup - Manage Field Customization

• Allow

These permissions ensure users can access the EMS Setup module, navigate to Custom Elements, and create or modify custom questions for ePCR forms.

1. From the Incident Documentation module, go to EMS Setup.
2. Navigate to the EMS Setup located in the Incident Documentation module.

1. Click on Custom Elements in the sidebar.
    

1. Under Custom Questions, click the Add button.
    

1. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).
    

1. This unique ID can be from your agency or a NEMSIS State Data Set (e.g., emsa.E1).
    

1. The title is the label providers will see on the ePCR form.

1. From the Data Type dropdown, choose Text/String.
2. This allows for either:
   1. Free text input (memo field)
   2. A custom dropdown list
       

1. Choose Yes if the question can be answered more than once in a report.

1. From the dropdown, select Yes or No to include this field in the XML export.

• Choose whether the field should be:
  • Mandatory
  • Required
  • Recommended
  • Optional
• Required and Recommended options allow you to define Not Values.
   

1. Use the dropdown to select which Not Values apply (e.g., Not Applicable, Not Recorded).
    

1. Choose any relevant Pertinent Negatives from the dropdown.

1. This internal field explains the purpose of the custom question.

1. Choose to add the question to:
   1. A Custom Subsection (recommended for agency-specific workflows)
   2. A Data Set field (DEMDataSet or EMSDataSet)
       

1. If selected, use the dropdown to choose a subsection.
2. See the EMS Setup - ePCR Sections article for more on creating subsections.

1. Choose a Data Set if Add to Custom Subsection is not selected.
   1. DEMDataSet - will compare against a state specific Demographics set.
   2. EMSDatatSet - will compare against the national NEMSIS standard.
       

1. Select the field after which your custom question should appear in the ePCR.

1. Dropdown: Users pick from a list of preset options.
2. Memo Field: Allows open-ended text entry with a narrative style field.
3.  If Not Values or Pertinent Negatives were selected earlier, you can now set defaults.
4. Neither Value has to be selected but note this limits the users to a single line entry field.
    

1. Set:
   1. Minimum characters
   2. Maximum characters
   3. Default value (optional)
       

1. Example of Memo Field enabled and when not enabled within an ePCR.
    

1. Create a custom list of options.

1. For each option:
   1. Code: Used for tracking
   2. Value: Displayed to users to choose 
   3. Set one as the Default (optional)
   4. Enabled: Will display the value within the ePCR.
   5. Use + to add and – to remove items
       

1. Click Add to finalize and create your new custom question.

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Best Practices

1. Use clear and consistent naming conventions for Custom Element IDs
2. Group related questions into custom subsections for ease of use
3. Always test new fields in a Test environment before deploying to production
4. Use dropdowns to standardize data input and ensure data consistency
5. Consider the end-user experience when placing questions in the ePCR workflow
6. Document the purpose and usage of each custom element for future reference
7. Review and validate custom questions with clinical staff before implementation

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Troubleshooting & FAQs