Jullette Saussy Receives Award for Outstanding Contribution in EMS

The American College of Emergency Physicians Awards Program honors leadership and excellence. The program provides an opportunity to recognize all members for significant professional contributions as well as service to the College.

The Award for Outstanding Contribution in EMS is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in EMS of national significance or application. This year's recipient is Jullette M. Saussy, MD, FACEP, of Alexandria, VA, who received the award for her work as an emergency physician, educator, EMS medical director and EMT.  She currently works clinically in a critical access hospital in Virginia with Riverside Physicians Group. 
 
Dr. Saussy's love for and experience in prehospital emergency medicine has spanned 35 years and includes serving as EMS medical director for the New Orleans Fire Department, director and medical director for New Orleans EMS, and chief medical officer for the City of New Orleans Homeland Security Office. Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans August 2005, just eight months after she took over the troubled system. Serving the city before, during and after Katrina remains one of her greatest career challenges, but also one of her greatest joys.
 
In 2007, Dr. Saussy was diagnosed with an aggressive form of uterine cancer that metastasized to her lungs, and she spent 2007–2008 battling this disease. Blessed with an amazing team, she was able to continue to work, traveling weekly to and from Texas for treatment. In 2010, she resigned and practiced emergency medicine full-time as an assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at LSU until joining Vidacare/Teleflex and working as one of the medical directors of Global Clinical and Medical Affairs.
 
In July 2015, Dr. Saussy began serving as EMS medical director and assistant fire chief for Washington, DC Fire and EMS. With promises from the fire department, the Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and the Mayor, she was poised to reform a system plagued for years of controversy and intrinsic shortfalls that affected quality patient care. However, facing many challenges to reform, Dr. Saussy resigned in February 2016.

Dr. Saussy attended Tulane University and graduated from medical school at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans.  She completed her emergency medicine residency at Charity Hospital in New Orleans with LSA Emergency Medicine.