Alex Woo

Below is an emil and content was mailed to NYS DOH Bureau of EMS. Please provide any comment regarding this, even if your in another state. Please let me know the system there.... Thannks for the viewing... To Whom It May Concern, I'm emailing you a thought I've had for years but did very little to say or do anything about. I've been a NYS EMT since 1996 and a NYS EMT-P since 1998. I've not been around for that long but I've been in the field for enough years to know that EMS care needs to progress faster. I've worked in the proprietary and volunteer services as an EMT and also as an EMT-P. I've worked in the Voluntary Hospital EMS as a EMT-P & managed an EMS Department. After the Berger Commission Report, I was eventually forced out of my position due to the closing of the hospital. I've been a supervisor at a proprietary service ever since. I've been in EMS and AHA education for numerous of years. I've seen positive and negative changes in EMS; which whether I agree with, is irrelevant. I'm asking for EMS certification restructuring with elimination of some EMT certifications. The EMT is the foundation of EMS care. However, the diseases have become even more complex and patients need more than BLS care. The EMT needs to have more hours added, not taken away; skills can't just be added without formal training. The EMT needs to be an 8-9 months long course with Intermediate Training. The EMT-I certification will be eliminated. The EMT-B will be the EMT-I. The EMT-CC will have to certify as an EMT-P but the EMT-P will be an A.S. program with CCEMTP training. A B.S. program must be developed and incorporated; maybe a M.S. program can be on the table. The EMT-CC will be eliminated. Whether this is better care, is not the issue; on paper it will be. Let's look at Nursing; CNA, LPN, RN, NP, & DNP with degrees ASN, BSN, MSN, & PhdN. Its amazing how nursing has really progress from the beginning of modern nursing during the Cremean War. EMS care in NYS can be the blueprint for this change and it will spread 50 states. The EMT program will be an intense 8-9 month long & college equivalent of 6-8 credits. The EMT-P will incorporate CCEMTP training, only available as an A.S. and B.S. degree program in Emergency Medical Paramedicine. If the provider can't complete the upgrade they'll downgrade to the lowest level; so, the EMT who can't complete the EMT-I training will forfeit their certification. The EMT-I will be an EMT; there is no upgrade for the EMT-I. The EMT-CC who can't complete the new EMT-P program will become EMTs. The EMT-P who can't complete the CCEMTP course will downgrade to an EMT. There will be a specific time given to complete the upgrade. My proposal with make the bridge from EMT to EMT-P closer. The CCEMT-P will be able to handle any setting and if one decides to further themselves in healthcare; the new CCEMT-P education will make it easier and with the degree, the prerequisite courses will have been almost met. These changes for the current EMS Providers, will be paid for by NYS Education Fund. This is an idea which can be modified but I hope I will see this change in the near future. I'm going down the path, in which I would like to see happen. Its a long process but it can happen. I'm available to assist in any way I can. Regards, Alexander G Woo NYS EMT-P #214355

Below is an email and letter I've sent to NYS DOH Bereau of EMS will my concerns and proposal for change. Please leave comments.... Thanks,.... To Whom It May Concern, I'm emailing you a thought I've had for years but did very little to say or do anything about. I've been a NYS EMT since 1996 and a NYS EMT-P since 1998. I've not been around for that long but I've been in the field for enough years to know that EMS care needs to progress faster. I've worked in the proprietary and volunteer services as an EMT and also as an EMT-P. I've worked in the Voluntary Hospital EMS as a EMT-P & managed an EMS Department. After the Berger Commission Report, I was eventually forced out of my position due to the closing of the hospital. I've been a supervisor at a proprietary service ever since. I've been in EMS and AHA education for numerous of years. I've seen positive and negative changes in EMS; which whether I agree with, is irrelevant. I'm asking for EMS certification restructuring with elimination of some EMT certifications. The EMT is the foundation of EMS care. However, the diseases have become even more complex and patients need more than BLS care. The EMT needs to have more hours added, not taken away; skills can't just be added without formal training. The EMT needs to be an 8-9 months long course with Intermediate Training. The EMT-I certification will be eliminated. The EMT-B will be the EMT-I. The EMT-CC will have to certify as an EMT-P but the EMT-P will be an A.S. program with CCEMTP training. A B.S. program must be developed and incorporated; maybe a M.S. program can be on the table. The EMT-CC will be eliminated. Whether this is better care, is not the issue; on paper it will be. Let's look at Nursing; CNA, LPN, RN, NP, & DNP with degrees ASN, BSN, MSN, & PhdN. Its amazing how nursing has really progress from the beginning of modern nursing during the Cremean War. EMS care in NYS can be the blueprint for this change and it will spread 50 states. The EMT program will be an intense 8-9 month long & college equivalent of 6-8 credits. The EMT-P will incorporate CCEMTP training, only available as an A.S. and B.S. degree program in Emergency Medical Paramedicine. If the provider can't complete the upgrade they'll downgrade to the lowest level; so, the EMT who can't complete the EMT-I training will forfeit their certification. The EMT-I will be an EMT; there is no upgrade for the EMT-I. The EMT-CC who can't complete the new EMT-P program will become EMTs. The EMT-P who can't complete the CCEMTP course will downgrade to an EMT. There will be a specific time given to complete the upgrade. My proposal with make the bridge from EMT to EMT-P closer. The CCEMT-P will be able to handle any setting and if one decides to further themselves in healthcare; the new CCEMT-P education will make it easier and with the degree, the prerequisite courses will have been almost met. These changes for the current EMS Providers, will be paid for by NYS Education Fund. This is an idea which can be modified but I hope I will see this change in the near future. I'm going down the path, in which I would like to see happen. Its a long process but it can happen. I'm available to assist in any way I can. Regards, Alexander G Woo NYS EMT-P #214355

Well I was kind of forced out. I worked at H63, Cabrini Medical Center as a EMT-P from 99-08; the hospital closed due to the recommendation of the Berger Commision Report. I was the EMS Manger there from 06-08. I worked also at NYDH, from 99-09; left because I wasn't able to fulfill my obligations as a perdiem; I was part-time there for a long time. If Cabrini never closed, I probably will still be there; grey and all. However, there were too many problems; from the Hospital Administrators, the employees, the vendors, the lack of money and resources, the name of the hospital, the phone calls and interfacing with FDNY EMS, the lack of support in general, and the cash flow of the hospital. It was a horrible last 2 years there. I am glad its over and I've turned the page on this chapter. I currently work at Lifeline Ambulance; they were gracious enough to offer me a manager position after my tenure at Cabrini.