Dear Medical Doctor,
You went to college a full 4 years longer than I and I can only assume in that 4 extra years you got wicked smart.
Test question, then.
An admitted child murderer should or should not be eligible to serve as an EMT on an ambulance?
Should? You fail.
Firegeezer reported recently about one of the cracks in the EMS system, the complete reliance on Medical Directors to do everything. Policy, protocols, certifications, perhaps they even decide when to mop the floors at their agency buildings.
But first, the true evil.
First letter is to Jessie Thrush who until recently, was just an ex-Sheriffs Deputy trying to make his way as an EMT. When Mr Thrush filled out his EMT certification application in San Diego, CA, he checked the box next to "Have you been convicted of a misdermeanor or felony in this state or any other..." YES.
You see, Mr Thrush admittedly shook his girlfriends daughter to death. A felony. He KILLED another human being. A letter in your file for three reasons.
1. Killing
2. You have uncontrolled temper
3. Thinking you can hide on an ambulance "doing good" to make up for what you did.
But really, the man who signed off on Mr Thrush's certification has a HELL of a lot of explaining to do.
As the Medical Director for San Diego County, Dr Bruce Haynes is the one who's name is on each County certification card, advising prospective employers that the candidate does in fact meet the qualifications to serve as an EMT.
Did this one "slip through the cracks" Doc? Busy out there in San Diego? Too busy to see if any of your "EMT"s are child killers?
I get nervous wondering if a traffic stop will delay my license and you're rubber stamping whoever wanders in the door?
Here's the problem everyone. Medical Directors who look out over their ivory walls and put their hands in everything. You have an MD, I do not. I respect the levels of education you have received and the skills you posess, but unless you served in the field or maintain a valid National Registry Paramedic License (more common thank God) I believe you have no business as an EMS Medical Director in any agency.
I'm sure Dr Haynes doesn't see every single application that comes across his desk, but at what point does that application fee to the county EMS agency kick in?
Each County in California appears to have it's own EMS accredidation process, staff and fees. Why?
So each little feifdom can pretend they're doing something special.
We've arrived at the point where experienced Paramedics have more patient care time than the physicians "overseeing" the system.
So why are MD's even still in the loop? The law still requires we act under a Physician's license. Because back when this whole thing started, the MD's knew more about field care than we did.
We need to move away from the "Base Hospital" system folks, many states already have and they have progressive, adaptive systems.
So long as any ol' MD can wander in and certify admitted child killers as OK to enter your home and treat your child, we have a problem. An isolated one? I seriously doubt it.
A letter in your file, Dr Haynes. That degree on your wall says you're smarter than this.
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