KVEO-IT-PROJECT
OSCAR SYSTEM
VIRGINIA BEACH DEPARTMENT OF EMS

Frequently Asked Questions

     

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Our squad likes to do its own scheduling. Doesn't OSCAR amount to centralized scheduling for ambulances?
No. OSCAR will help your squad do its own scheduling. OSCAR does not schedule anyone for any kind of duty, nor does OSCAR change the process by which people get scheduled. OSCAR simply collects availability information and converts that information into formatted reports that are easy to understand. Schedule coordinators use OSCAR to see at-a-glance who is available to fill each duty slot. Regular members (with proper approval) can use OSCAR to find out who might be available to cover particular shifts.
Isn't it a bad idea to put all this information on the web for all to see?
OSCAR doesn't do that. OSCAR uses email authentication to make sure that only approved personnel can read the information it has collected. Schedule coordination authorities can retrieve information directly from OSCAR. OSCAR passes all other requests through a schedule coordinator for approval. The general public cannot gain access to OSCAR information.
What does "email authentication" mean?
Email authentication is the mechanism that OSCAR uses to maintain the security and privacy of the information it collects. In the same way that a pizza delivery service requires a phone number to verify large orders, OSCAR requires an email address to verify your request for data. OSCAR only sends data via email to addresses that are known and trusted. OSCAR has direct knowledge of some email addresses; all others must be approved by the appropriate scheduling officer first. OSCAR does not release data without first performing a "challenge-response" email authentication step.
Can ambulance availabilities submitted to one squad be accessed by another squad?
Not directly. All requests for ambulance availabilities from Squad A must be approved by Squad A's schedule coordinator.
I am a Squad Commander. I want to retrieve my squad's availability data directly, without going through my schedule coordinator. Can I?
Yes. Any of your squad's existing OSCAR Authorities, and any EMS OSCAR Authority, can use OSCAR's "Modify / Roles" feature to assign your email address to an OSCAR "role", which will allow you to retrieve your data directly. The OSCAR sysadmin can also do this for you.
I am my squad's schedule coordinator. What if a member needs my approval to retrieve a report from OSCAR, but I am unavailable?
You can define "escalation recipients" ahead of time. If a member gets tired of waiting for you to approve a request, OSCAR gives the member the option to "escalate" the request to the next authority.
Why can't I use OSCAR for my squad?
Because EMS-2 (the Master OSCAR Authority) has not given the OSCAR System Administrator permission to activate OSCAR for your squad. Ordinarily, EMS-2 requires that your squad's commander and assistant commanders meet with him first. EMS-2 has the ability to enable and disable OSCAR on a squad-by-squad basis.
I am my squad's schedule coordinator. I trust some of my squad members implicitly. Do I have to approve each and every report request from my most trustworthy users?
No. In each approval notice, OSCAR gives you the option to register the requestor as a "trusted user". Trusted users do not need approval for subsequent requests. You can also revoke trust via OSCAR's "Modify" option.
I am a schedule coordinator or other OSCAR authority. OSCAR only knows my home email address, but I want to be able to call up full availability reports from my work (or other) email address. Can I?
Yes. Use OSCAR's Modify / Roles feature to define a new role for your agency. The new role can simply be "Other". Specify your work (or other) email address for the new role.
I am a schedule coordinator. One of our members just made a late submission into OSCAR. How can I retrieve it?
Just request another compiled availability report.
How can I tell if the data in OSCAR has changed (new submissions, retractions, etc) since the last time I ran a compiled availability report?
Request a new compiled availability report. When the new report arrives, check the "generated on" date at the top. If it hasn't changed, no data has been added or retracted since the time you requested the previous report.
What kinds of things cause problems for OSCAR?
More than one person with exactly the same first and last names. (They should agree on some way to consistently distinguish themselves to OSCAR.) People who submit availabilities to both EMS and their squad. (They should submit to EMS and let EMS relay unused availabilities to their squads.)
Why am I not receiving email from OSCAR?
If you are an MSN user, try turning your spam filter off.
What software do I need to install?
None. All you need is a web browser like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. We recommend you get the latest version.

$Id: faq.phtml 2917 2009-10-08 20:21:25Z KevinAnLipscomb $