The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Transportation have published an evaluation of future opportunities for EMS in a draft white paper released July 15. In collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness […]
Two traits are common to most employees in the EMS workforce: EMTs and paramedics tend to be young, and they tend to job hop … a lot. Not surprisingly, employees with little in the way of longevity often lack loyalty to their employers. Add to this lack of loyalty the fact that many EMS employees […]
(Editor’s Note: The following is part one of a two-part series. Part two will be published in the October issue of the EMS Insider.) Ask most field providers about applying a rigid extrication collar and you’ll often hear stories about having to move the head and neck so much you begin to question why it’s […]
Nationally, healthcare is rapidly trending toward more community health and home health in order to help decrease unnecessary ED visits, admission and re-admission, and to continue treatment beyond discharge. The impetus for this came from patients, hospitals, insurance providers and public policymakers and is the future of healthcare. Since EMS has been providing medical care […]
What value does EMS provide to patient outcomes? Everyone has their own ideas and anecdotal evidence, but how many EMS systems can actually prove their worth? In the brave new world of healthcare reform, EMS agencies will need hard data that not only measures their performance, but is used as the basis for the development […]
A recent case from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shows an unusual ruling by a court upholding the Department of Health’s decision to overturn an EMS medical director’s withdrawal of medical control from a paramedic. Leonard Rubin, DO, the medical director for Cheltenham Township EMS, appealed an order from the Department of Health, which had overturned […]
On June 21, Envision Healthcare Corporation, the parent company of American Medical Response (AMR) Inc. announced that Edward “Ted” Van Horne has been appointed president of American Medical Response. Previously, Van Horne was the chief executive officer for AMR’s south region. Van Horne began his EMS career in 1988. Since joining AMR, he has served […]
A volunteer fire company ambulance company in the Pittsburgh region was investigated in 2008 after a resident filed a complaint alleging he was mistreated by rescue workers. The patient also complained to the FBI and state attorney general’s office, alleging potential false imprisonment and unlawful restraint. He also contacted the American Civil Liberties Union about […]
PPACA): Congress passed it, the president signed it and the Supreme Court has upheld it. Now we need to learn how to live with it. My prediction is this: It will dramatically change the way we deliver healthcare and thereby will drastically change EMS. For some, it will present an opportunity to expand services. For […]
The emergency care drug shortages that we all hoped would be resolved remains a continuing problem, and some months have seen periodic escalations for critically required medications. EMS medical directors continue to struggle to maintain quality prehospital care and protect patient safety as they navigate through the challenges of ongoing drug shortages that seem endless. […]
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