All the comments here, on twitter and with our friend CK over at Life under the Lights have called our collective ideas to change how EMS is delivered EMS 2.0. Hospital radio reports via instant message, electronic patient care reports downloaded wirelessly on arrival, care back in the hands of the caregivers, not the bureauocrats. Alternates to automatically defaulting to transport in an ALS ambulance to an ER.
Ok, EMS 2.0 it is.
The movement is service based, focusing on what can be provided by EMS staff and giving those providers more access to services other than an ER in a hospital as the only option for patients.
EMS 2.0 combines advanced practice paramedic services as well as a number of options for transport, transfer and relocation.
This new service revolves around a seamless network of emergent, non-emergent, clinic and community resources working together, not each service struggling to deal with eachother's overload.
Imagine an emergency room that only deals with emergencies. Imagine a clinic that only handles acute, non-emergent cases and a physicians office where people aren't threatened by large co-pays and 40 day waits to get an appointment.
It won't be reached in my service time, but if we're going to get there, the foundation has to be built now.
We've figured out the patient care thing, let's move ahead.
Multiple colleges and universities now offer Bachelor's degrees in EMS and Paramedics are retiring from 30 and 40 years of patient care to teach others.
We have arrived as a profession, let's start to act like it.
I have taken the steps to begin the process of changing the system where I am, are you? Would you rather find a shady place to ride out the rest of your career? If so, I only ask that you offer solutions or keep out of our way.
No longer will the excuses of "That won't work" and "We tried that 15 years ago" be accepted.
I've submitted a test policy through my chain of command. A simple change to make a situation we encounter often easier to deal with. It does, however, include a simple change to put just a little more power in the hands for the folks doing the heavy lifting.
If they approve it, it will make our ability to provide medical care easier and serve as a launching point for the next 4 phases of the project.
If they reject it, their reasons will give me insight into how to better propose the other changes and I try again.
We can only change the world if we work together.
Here we go.
Ok, EMS 2.0 it is.
The movement is service based, focusing on what can be provided by EMS staff and giving those providers more access to services other than an ER in a hospital as the only option for patients.
EMS 2.0 combines advanced practice paramedic services as well as a number of options for transport, transfer and relocation.
This new service revolves around a seamless network of emergent, non-emergent, clinic and community resources working together, not each service struggling to deal with eachother's overload.
Imagine an emergency room that only deals with emergencies. Imagine a clinic that only handles acute, non-emergent cases and a physicians office where people aren't threatened by large co-pays and 40 day waits to get an appointment.
It won't be reached in my service time, but if we're going to get there, the foundation has to be built now.
We've figured out the patient care thing, let's move ahead.
Multiple colleges and universities now offer Bachelor's degrees in EMS and Paramedics are retiring from 30 and 40 years of patient care to teach others.
We have arrived as a profession, let's start to act like it.
I have taken the steps to begin the process of changing the system where I am, are you? Would you rather find a shady place to ride out the rest of your career? If so, I only ask that you offer solutions or keep out of our way.
No longer will the excuses of "That won't work" and "We tried that 15 years ago" be accepted.
I've submitted a test policy through my chain of command. A simple change to make a situation we encounter often easier to deal with. It does, however, include a simple change to put just a little more power in the hands for the folks doing the heavy lifting.
If they approve it, it will make our ability to provide medical care easier and serve as a launching point for the next 4 phases of the project.
If they reject it, their reasons will give me insight into how to better propose the other changes and I try again.
We can only change the world if we work together.
Here we go.
Comments
Good luck anyway, hopefully (fingers crossed) I will be there soon to see it all first hand
This test policy not only sets a clear list of activities for the communications division to do (hold all non emergent cases, mobilize supervisors to expedite clearing hospitals) but it mainly gives a medic awaiting an ambulance for a non-acute, non-emergent case to refer the person to a clinic and go available.
P.s so you have the problem with crews hanging around at the hospitals too!
That's EMS 1.0 thinking. Take a step back, look yourself in the mirror, and realize that you need to change. EMS needs to change. It will change for the better, there is momentum building here.
Paramedics are taking ownership of our profession. This is why it will work.