In the wake of recent events in Ferguson, Mo., and other situations calling into question the conduct of police officers, hundreds of police departments nationwide are equipping their officers with body-worn cameras. Should EMS providers also have them? The improved technology and low cost certainly make body cameras a viable option for many EMS agencies. […]
The release of national payment data by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which describes in detail the Medicare payments made to ambulance services nationwide, has caused quite a stir. This well-publicized release coupled with the increased government crackdown on alleged fraud in the ambulance industry and new fraud-fighting rules, has combined to […]
In today’s high-tech world, the traditional lines between work and personal life have blurred tremendously. The two are intermixed now more than ever with the advent of smartphones that allow each of us to stay in touch with and manage our personal lives while at work and vice-versa. Technologies and applications such as Twitter, Face-book […]
Important lessons on organizational culture for EMS How can repeated instances of child abuse occur in an educational institution that should be devoted to protecting the welfare of children? The essence of the Report of the Special Investigative Counsel, prepared by the law firm headed by former FBI Director Lewis Freeh, at the direction of […]
Action steps for dealing with potential patient abuse The recent Penn State child abuse scandal raises two significant questions relevant to EMS leaders: How could such a horrific thing happen, and why was it not properly reported? Abuse against another person is not always clearly discernible. The actions of an abuser, especially against children or […]
Major change is on the horizon for labor relations in EMS, with proposed amendments to the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRA governs union organizing and collective bargaining for private-sector EMS organizations. (Most local public agencies, such as fire department-based EMS are covered under state labor relations laws that are very similar to the NLRA). […]
Steve Wirth, Esq., EMT-P, is a founding partner of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth LLC. Steve is an active EMS provider and firefighter, and a national EMS speaker and a member of the JEMS and EMS Insider editorial board.
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