PURPOSE AND INTENDED USES OF THE PROTOCOLS
The protocols are organized into three documents:
Baseline Protocols
EMS Design Protocol
Update Protocols
All protocols are described in detail below
BASELINE PROTOCOL (download)
The Baseline Protocol is the first of the three protocols. It is a one-time study completed during the first year of each facility's participation. The Baseline Protocol contains a detailed description of the facility's baseline performance in the main data categories during the three year period before its adoption of a formal EMS. Only by establishing pre-participation performance can researchers identify how the adoption of an EMS alters performance.
EMS DESIGN PROTOCOL(download)The EMS Design Protocol is the second of the three protocols and is completed when a facility designs its EMS. It is a one-time study, which asks the facility to describe in detail the nature of its EMS and the process the facility used to create its EMS. For facilities that are well along in their EMS design process, all sections of the protocol should be completed. For facilities that have not fully designed their EMS, the Update Protocol provides a later opportunity to submit data related to the completion of their EMSs.
UPDATE PROTOCOL (download)
The Update Protocol is the third protocol. In the Update Protocol, facilities are asked to update their baseline data, as well as their EMS design data, including any additions or changes to their EMSs since their previous submissions. In this way, researchers can identify how the adoption of an EMS alters performance and how the operation of EMS evolves over time. The Update Protocol can be made available on request.