The National EMS Management Association (NEMSMA) has spent the past two years developing a set of national EMS officer competencies to provide future leaders with the tools they need to be successful. In the interest of the profession, the competencies will be made available to the entire EMS community, not just NEMSMA members. NEMSMA is […]
On September 24, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, released a report regarding the utilization of Medicare ambulance transports. The department reviewed payment requests for transports during the period of 2002 to 2011 and found that the number of Medicare ambulance transports increased 69% (from 8.7 million to […]
Less than one year after launching operations, Falck has laid off nearly the entire staff of its Northern California office, replacing them with personnel from the recently purchased Verihealth. On July 12, Falck officials and new Falck Northern California (Falck NC) Chief Executive Officer Gary Tennyson informed employees of the Falck-branded division, based in Concord, […]
On June 17, Skip Kirk-wood, M.S., J.D., NREMT-P, EFO, CMO moved less than 25 miles east to begin his first day as the director of Durham County EMS, in Durham, N.C. In addition to his responsibilities for the management of the entire EMS system, he directly supervises a staff of 112 in nine locations and […]
Fourteen years ago, the medical community was stunned when a paper published by the National Institute of Medicine reported a remarkably high medical error rate in hospitals. “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System” stated that “at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals each year as […]
Fourteen years ago, the medical community was stunned when a paper published by the National Institute of Medicine reported a remarkably high medical error rate in hospitals. “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System” stated that “at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals each year as […]
As more and more veterans are returning home, it’s clear some will suffer continuing health issues, occasionally finding themselves in situations where 9-1-1 responders have been called to assist. Training dispatchers and EMS responders in how to more appropriately approach a veteran in crisis can mean the difference between a successful outcome and a call […]
In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that medical device manufacturers and healthcare facilities take steps to assure that appropriate safeguards are in place to reduce the risk of failure due to a cyberattack. The Safety Communication suggests that a cyberattack could be initiated by the introduction of malware into the medical […]
According to the documents filed Sunday, August 4 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Rural/Metro Corporation has sought relief under chapter 11 under the bankruptcy code. The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based ambulance company sought bankruptcy protection after negotiating a proposal with lenders and select noteholders to significantly cut debt and obtain a new infusion […]
Less than one year of after launching operations, Falck has laid off nearly the entire East Bay operations of its Northern California office, replacing them with staff from the recently purchased Verihealth. On July 12, Falck officials and new Falck Northern California CEO Gary Tennyson informed employees of the Falck-branded division, based in Concord, Calif., […]
Teresa McCallion, EMT-B, is the editor of EMS Insider and frequent contributor to JEMS Magazine and JEMS.com. She worked for many years as a newspaper journalist and served as a volunteer for her local fire department.
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