NAEMT Forms Two Committees: EMS Preparedness; EMS Data

EMS Preparedness Committee

Whether it’s natural disasters like Superstorm Sandy, terrorist events like the Boston Marathon bombings, or infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola or H1N1, EMS is integral to our nation’s response.

In all of those situations, Paramedics and EMTs cared for the sick or injured – doing what the community expected of them, and what they expected of themselves.

Yet, it’s widely known that when it comes to preparedness discussions at the federal level, EMS isn’t included as often as it should be. Likewise, EMS lacks a dedicated federal funding stream to help support the training, equipment and planning needed to enable EMS to protect the public, and its own workforce.

“EMS agencies, including fire-based, third service, hospital-based, commercial and volunteer, are expected by our elected officials to be like the U.S. military: ready, equipped and staffed 24/7 to take care of all patients whether they’re sick or injured as a result of motor vehicle collisions, falls, gunshot wounds, terrorist attacks, chemical agents or active shooter incidents,” wrote A.J. Heightman, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS), in a recent editorial. “The problem is that EMS is a forgotten and neglected army that’s being expected to train and have proper equipment and vehicles for these incidents with minimal or no financial assistance from our federal government.”

To make sure EMS is a part of the process for planning and preparing for mass casualty events and other threats, NAEMT is pleased to announce the formation of an EMS Disaster Preparedness Committee. The committee will advise the NAEMT Board of Directors on ways to strengthen the role of EMS in our nation’s emergency preparedness strategy and response activities. Responsibilities, in part, will be to:

• Identify national gaps in EMS preparedness protocols and training, and recommend measures to address these gaps;
• Identify ways to improve integration of EMS in disaster preparedness planning, communications and interoperability;
• Identify funding sources to support agency preparedness activities; and
• Increase understanding of the EMS role within the larger preparedness community.

“When EMS agencies around the country lack the resources required to meet daily response demands, investing additional resources to respond to a public health emergency is enormously challenging,” according to written testimony submitted by NAEMT to the Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing on the U.S. Government Response to the Ebola Outbreak. “There is no dedicated federal funding stream for EMS to turn to in order to ensure that EMS agencies and our practitioners are fully prepared to respond safely to public health emergencies...”

EMS Data Committee

Demands for EMS data are stretching farther and wider than ever before. This is largely due to the spread of electronic patient care reports and electronic health records, as well as the increasing integration of EMS with hospitals and the overall health system. Until recently, if EMS agencies collected performance data, it typically related to resource deployment and response times. Response times are still an important performance measure, but many EMS agencies are beginning to think more broadly about data collection, particularly as it relates to patient care.

Using Electronic Patient Care Reporting (ePCR) software developed to improve patient care and operational performance, EMS agencies can collect and analyze data to answer important questions about the value of the patient care they provide. Data is the only way for hospitals, physicians or EMS to show that they’re delivering value-based care, and that the interventions and treatments provided make a difference for patients.

Today, EMS is reimbursed on a fee-for-service model, based on transports to the hospital. But many EMS leaders believe that’s destined to change soon. Widespread changes in reimbursement policy are already underway as a result of changes in healthcare laws, and it’s only a matter of time before EMS is also expected to have the data to prove its value to the healthcare system.

To help prepare our profession for a data-driven future, NAEMT has established a new EMS Data Committee. This committee will:

• Provide advice and guidance to the Board on current and emerging healthcare data and information issues that impact EMS and MIH, including:

o   Performance measures – clinical, operational, financial, and patient outcomes;

o   NEMSIS data standards – version 3, critical care, air transport, and MIH-CP modules;

o   Healthcare IT integration with EMS – meaningful use, HL7, and HITECH requirements/updates;

• Ensure that the perspective of EMS practitioners is included in the development of policies governing the collection and analysis of information and data; and
• Identify and/or develop informational and educational resources to help EMS practitioners and agencies understand how data collection and analysis drive decision making at all levels of EMS.

Visit www.naemt.org for more information.

Jenifer Goodwin is communication projects manager for NAEMT.