I work regularly with agencies that are looking to improve aspects of their operations. Some casual readers may be surprised to know that the focus of those discussions is not always about cutting response times. While response is a simple and common measure, it clearly does not evaluate EMS well and certainly fails to encapsulate […]
To know where our increasingly limited emergency resources will be needed next, we need to understand where future requests for service will originate. If we knew exactly where the next call would come from, we could proactively dispatch a resource there even before it is requested (watch the movie “Minority Report” for an idea of […]
The NHTSA Office of EMS released a significant document last year called the EMS Agenda 2050 that was carefully crafted to set a bold vision for the next 30 years of paramedicine by clearly differentiating the focus of care from its original definition in the 1996 EMS Agenda for the Future. Now, after just a few months […]
Be careful what you wish for. Just a few months ago, before the words “COVID-19” and “social-distancing” became a regular part of our conversations, I was speaking with the Operations Chief of an EMS service about the difficulty in hiring and retaining paramedics. He said it would take “a downturn in the economy before we […]
Our practice of EMS is facing significant challenges right now. Although many traditional aspects must still continue, we have a few more obstacles to overcome in a crisis. This “pilot podcast” highlights some practical modifications to consider for operational improvements, especially for MARVLIS users. Notes: Demand for EMS services is disproportionate across America and outside […]
Anyone who has been to a national EMS conference in the last few years has probably seen Rick Binder in the exhibit hall. If that name is not familiar, you may be more likely to remember his life-size teddy bear wearing a vinyl vest surrounded with brightly colored handles. While we are friends now, I […]
I’ll try to be brief. As an EMS blogger, I have always believed in the potential that social media possesses to change the dynamics of how we interact and grow professionally. The promise of the democratization of information and the timely access to news and research on-demand should only be making us better at our […]
EMS professionals are known for having opinions, but one topic that is sure to bring out their thoughts is the idea of bringing cameras into their world. Whether expressed as a fear of HIPAA violations or a worry of punitive measures against their own actions, the idea of being recorded can cause many to bristle. […]