California EMTs and Paramedics to Stay On Duty During Breaks as Prop 11 Passes
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Proposition 11 has passed, the AP is predicting. The campaign largely funded by private ambulance companies had voters deciding what to do with employee breaks. Emergency ambulance employees who work for private companies will be allowed to continue their current practice of having emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics stay on-duty during their meal and rest breaks in order to respond to 911 calls. Private ambulance companies would attempt to reschedule meal and rest breaks that are interrupted by a 911 call. Read more at CBS13. (Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership)
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - November 7, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: CBS13 Tags: News News Videos Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

Longtime Oklahoma EMS Leader H. Stephen Williamson Passes Away
H. Stephen Williamson, 68, of Hope, Arkansas, formerly of Tulsa, Oklahoma, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle passed away suddenly on November 3, 2018 at his home. Preceded in death by his mother, Evelyn Williamson, father, Hershel Williamson, and first wife, Pat Williamson, Steve is survived by his best friend and wife Rebecca Williamson (Smith); his two adored daughters Jennifer Thomas (Jason) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ashley Schneeberg (Matt) of Jenks, Oklahoma; his brother, Mark Williamson (Theresa) of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; and his five step children, Blake Burruss (Rachel), Krista Sands, Holly Ch...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - November 7, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

NIH Requesting Input on Ways to Enhance Emergency Medical Care Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently issued a request for information (RFI) seeking input that will help inform: The development of good emergency medical care research practices under Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) and Policies and procedures for the design, implementation, and oversight of NIH-supported emergency medical care research conducted under EFIC. Because obtaining informed consent from patients with emergent, life-threatening conditions is so difficult, research in emergency and prehospital settings often falls under EFIC guidelines. There are significant challenges to conducting emergency...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - November 7, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: NHTSA Office of EMS Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

EMS in Crisis: Patients Pocketing Insurance Checks
CARLISLE, Pa. (WHTM) - Cumberland Goodwill EMS in Carlisle responds to more than 10,000 calls a year to help people in crisis, but it's facing its own crisis. "We lose money every time we go out the door," Assistant Chief Nathan Harig said. EMS services already struggle with low reimbursement rates from Medicaid and Medicare. On top of that, add patients pocketing insurance checks. (Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership)
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - November 6, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Kendra Nichols Tags: News Videos Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

Do You Voodoo?
   (Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership)
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 30, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Paul Combs Tags: Administration and Leadership Comics Source Type: news

Safety Concerns About New Minneapolis 9-1-1 Dispatch Software
  MINNEAPOLIS (KSTP-TV)--A computer program used to process 911 calls in Minneapolis is putting first responders and the public in danger, according to the head of the city’s police union and a former dispatcher. Minneapolis resident Matt Pelikan called 911 April 23 after seeing a man in the skyway who needed help. "If I was the person on the ground and there was someone there to call for help, I'd want the person to come as soon as possible,” Pelikan said. Read more at KSTP-TV. (Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership)
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 29, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: KSTP-TV Tags: News News Videos Communications & Dispatch Source Type: news

Executive Institute (XI) Convenes in Hershey, Pennsylvania
EMS leaders convened in “Chocolatetown USA”—also known as the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania—on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, for the Page, Wolfberg and Wirth (PWW) Media XI Leadership Conference at the Hershey Lodge. The Executive Institute (XI) is a one-day interactive workshop with sessions tailored for EMS industry executives, chiefs, top-level managers, owners and leaders interested in high-level views and discussions about reimbursement, compliance, privacy, leadership and human resource management. Well-known industry leader, Mike Taigman, kicked off the morning with an eye-opening keynote. Taigman offered atte...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 27, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: A.J. Heightman, MPA, EMT P Tags: Exclusive Articles Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

abc360 Conference Offers Treasure Trove of New Information
The Page, Wolfberg and Wirth (PWW) abc360 Conference kicked off on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pennsylvania, offering a robust audience a treasure trove of new information on several key EMS administrative areas. Up first were the reimbursement, compliance and privacy updates from PWW partners Doug Wolfberg, Steve Wirth and Ryan Stark, which was packed with the latest about what’s going on with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services cost data collection requirements, Medicare appeals, and some interesting air ambulance news. “We aim to not only inform attendees about the latest in reimbur...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 26, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: A.J. Heightman, MPA, EMT P Tags: Exclusive Articles Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

Leading advocacy, watchdog organizations join ambulance transparency coalition
ATLANTA, GEORGIA (October 23, 2018)—A bipartisan coalition of leading advocacy and taxpayer watchdog groups announced today they had joined the Georgia Ambulance Transparency Project, a new grassroots initiative to restore transparency and ethics to the provision and delivery of emergency services across the state. The new coalition, which collectively represents the interests of hundreds of thousands of Georgia voters, includes Common Cause, Georgia Conservatives in Action, Georgia Ethics Watchdog, Main Street Patriots, Athens 4 Everyone, Athens Area Citizens for Better EMS Response Times, and Barrow County Board of ...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 23, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: AmbulanceTransparency.org (press release) Tags: Administration and Leadership Industry News Press Releases Source Type: news

AAA Responds to Fire-Based EMS Interest Groups Regarding Cost Data Collection for Ambulance Services
WASHINGTON, DC—On October 17, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association released a joint statement discouraging fire-based providers from endorsing AAA’s proposed ambulance cost collection methodology. While we regret to learn that they do not believe that our method is appropriate for the segment of providers they represent, we respectfully disagree and invite open dialogue as our previous requests to discuss cost collection with the IAFF and IAFC were declined. The American Ambulance Association membership is co...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 22, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: American Ambulance Association Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

Beloved Pennsylvania EMS Chief Dies On Duty After Cardiac Arrest
It is with great sadness that Crozer-Keystone Health System announced the line of duty death of EMS Chief Robert (Bob) Reeder on October 20, 2018. According to preliminary information, Bob was on duty Saturday morning at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa., during a charity event when he suffered cardiac arrest. Despite CPR efforts and immediate transport to Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Bob passed away.Bob was 61 and was part of Crozer-Keystone’s EMS team for 37 years. He spent the last 20 years as chief, and was also president of the Delaware County Emergency Health Services Council for more than 20 years. His leader...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 21, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: JEMS Staff Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

Missouri Challenges Residents to #BuckleUpPhoneDown
Missouri Governor Michael Parson has officially proclaimed Oct. 19, 2018, to be Buckle Up Phone Down Day. Organized by the state's Department of Transportation and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, #BuckleUpPhoneDown (#BUPD) day is intended to be the first step to break driving habits that cause deadly motor vehicle crashes on the state's roadways. In messages over social media and through grassroots outreach, all of state's resident's are asked to accept the challenge, as well as challenge a friend, relative or members of the community.   The idea is simple, according to the Missouri Department of Tr...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 19, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Ryan Kelley, NREMT Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

New Process for Rapidly Updating National EMS Scope of Practice Model
As part of an ongoing revision of the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, a group ofexperts convened by the National Association of State EMS Officials, with support from the NHTSA Office of EMS, recently developed and approved a process for quickly updating the Model. The description of the process is available on ems.gov.   The National EMS Scope of Practice Model was initially published in 2007 and provides guidance to states developing EMS scope of practice laws and regulati...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 18, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: NHTSA Office of EMS Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

California's Prop 11: EMS Personnel Break Time Debate
  LOS ANGELES (CBS): When you need help and call 9-1-1 you expect paramedics will race to you right away with lights and sirens on, right? Well, there’s a major battle raging in the California courts, capital, and the November ballot box that could dramatically change things. One company has spent more than $20 million to support a state ballot measure that ensure EMTs and paramedics keep radios and pagers on during breaks so they can respond anytime. (Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership)
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 17, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: CBS Los Angeles Tags: News News Videos Administration and Leadership Source Type: news

The Agenda is Set ... Now What?
In September, Jon Krohmer, MD, FACEP, marked the end of his second year as director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of EMS. His tenure has included major initiatives, such as EMS Agenda 2050 and a revision of the National EMS Model Scope of Practice, as well as continued efforts to support state and local EMS organizations battling the opioid crisis and addressing other public health issues.Krohmer has a long career in EMS, starting as an emergency physician and EMS medical director in Michigan. He served in national organizations, including a stint as president of the National Associat...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - October 17, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Ryan Kelley, NREMT Tags: Exclusive Articles EMS Insider Administration and Leadership Source Type: news