Are you really part of EMS???

[AnthonyM83]

In response to "Are You A Part of EMS?"

I am the operations manager for a large ambulance service in Orange County California. My organization is primarily an interfacility transport company and perform the types of calls that were described in this post. My personnel are deal with this question frequently from other EMTs and in some cases from personnel from local fire departments.

Let me tell you about my employees. We transported over 80,000 pateints last year, mostly IFT. Out of that number, 35% are emergent cases that are being transported to an ED for treatment. We deal with psych pateints, CCT with sometimes critically ill patients and occasionally run back-up calls for a few of the local agencies.

My personnel are all trained and National Registry certified Emergency Medical Technicians. I submit to you, yes, we are a part of the EMS system in our county. As a large organization, we are one of the first organizations that are called in a large incident. We have responded to several large incidents in the recent past including the wildfire operations in San Diego County this past October. We are listed with our State EMS Authority as an Ambulance Strike Team Provider. All of my strike team members have been trained in ICS and function quite well in that capacity.

Again, I submit to you, regardless of what organization an EMT works for, they are a part of the EMS system. We ALL deal with emergencies big and small and take care of people when they are at their worst. This does not change with jurisdiction or what name is on the shoulder patch. We all do essentially the same type of work. If something were to happen in our state, I can guarantee you, my employees and my organization will be ready to enroute and take care of business. We are all a part of the EMS system.

Not bad for an IFT company.......

Not bad for an IFT, company, but the thread isn't discussing how competent, well-structured, professional, and busy a company is. It's discussing whether it should be considered EMS.

I think the fact it does 911 backup is the only thing you said that makes it EMS (though many companies say they do 911 backup, but it happens twice a year b/c they're 5th place on the backup list, but I don't get the sense that's you guys).

I would say that on a regular basis we do very similar work. Just like my college's top-notch professional security office (whose officers were peace officer trained & certified) did very similar work to law enforcement and at times actually did the exact same work as law enforcement, they still fell into the classification of private security or campus safety, not LE. But they had good reputation with local PD and I think were considered partially part of the family.

You guys run a lot of calls that should be 911 calls, so at times you're pretty much doing emergency medical work...but just not from within the EMS system.

[JPINFV]

I know a doctor who only does nose jobs. He's still a doctor.

Yes, and that doctor isn't a part of EMS. Nor is my room mate who is currently doing his fellowship (research based, though), in interventional (I think) cardiology (I know he's doing card's though. Yes, he is an MD). He isn't a member of EMS either.

[Siffaliss]

I will trow in my 2 cents, but I will say this, determining whether you transport or do emergency calls does not conclude or decide whether someone is really part of EMS. Just as you have an immediate emergency to a response call, during transport a stable patient can automatically without any warning code on you or have a complication, and being a certifide EMT or paramedic I think answers the question are you really part of EMS? That's all I have to say.

Trying to make sense of what you said there ... are you saying that anyone who is an EMT or paramedic is in emergency medical services? Oh sure, someone who hasn't done an IV in 4 years is probably still qualified to initiate/monitor/maintain, but do you really think they should be?

You'd be fine suffering an MI with an EMT who's been an EMT for oh 6 years but hasn't actually done an e-call in 5 years, sweating their face off, shaking, wondering whether or not they can start the line while your veins bulge in front of them? You wouldn't be apt to take the damn catheter away from them and do it yourself? Can you honestly say that every EMT should actually be an EMT, and that you wouldn't care which one of them (as an example) treats your unconscious child?

[Kevin N. Saisi CADC EMT]

I had a similar discussion a while back with a collegue. His opinion was that "transfer medics" from the city have no clue what to do in rural emergency situations. When you are 30 minutes from a hospital, you have to handle the situation the whole time. His opinion was that you need to be well seasoned as a rural medic to be able to handle the prolonged transport time. Most IFTs are either not critical or under doctor's orders. When you arrive on scene and have to decide for yourself what is going on, THEN you are practicing REAL medical skills. Many times we have to handle such situations at the BLS level for 20 to 30 minutes. I would guess that the IFT providers don't usually have to do that too often. Skills don't maintain if you don't use them.

[EMTacademy]

Ruffling feathers in inevitable when you are challenging someones right to call themselves part of EMS. I work in 3 different arenas myself- As a "transfer medic" for a non-emergency ambulance company as a "volunteer EMT trainer" for a city and FT as an "Occupational Health Tech" for a company that provides an on-site medical clinic in a heavy manufacturing industry plant. Guess which one I see the most action-injury-emergency medical needs- and use the highest percentage of my trained and licensed EMT skills? Its as an Occupational Health Tech. But my state does not recognize this job for my agency association to keep my license current- so I work the "non-emergency ambulance" to fullfill my state requirements. The logic is baffeling, but no matter what, I proudly call my self part of EMS no matter which job I am at!! I also know that everyone I have worked with at the non-emergency ambulance company sees that job as a stepping stone for furthering their career- getting more training-and moving on to a City or other Emergency based EMT role. Their initial goal is to meet the requirements of our state while job hunting. I see nothing wrong with that. They still participate in all the same continuing education and recertifications that I and everyone else are required to attend each year.

Just my two cents

[AnthonyM83]

As an afterthought, to add to my analogy above comparing transfer companies to security companies, the on-the-job training (which makes a big difference) is different, as well. That's part of your formal training, learning how 911 calls play out.

EMTacademy...how is it someone's right to call themselves part of EMS?

[spenac]

NO EMERGENCY = NOT EMS

[ninjaemtff]

This topic makes me wonder if some people have forgotten what EMS stands for...or more so what the E in EMS stands for...

If theres no Emergency your not part of EMS.

[spenac]

This topic makes me wonder if some people have forgotten what EMS stands for...or more so what the E in EMS stands for...

If theres no Emergency your not part of EMS.

Thank you young lady. You are far wiser than your 18 years.

[Stn2Emtb]

Unfortunately Emtb's are being replaced with Medics. Your standard run of the mill, "granny runs" are standard for emt's. So are transport runs still classified as "Emergency" medical services. Yes. The reason I say that is this. I was doing a "routine transport" from UPMC Presby to our local TCU in Oil CIty, PA. The older women maybe in 60's, was fine for most of our transport. Then about Zelienople on I-79 the pt started complaining of CHEST PAIN. Now normally this wouldn't bother me, but my partner and I were two EMT-B's (well seasoned). I called 911 and got Mercer Co. 911. I told them of my situation, turned on my lights and ran HOT to Grove City. The medic hopped in with us and we were good. The rest of the transport went without a hitch. We dropped the pt off at Grove City hospital and returned to quarters.

My point is this a routine transport can turn EMERGENCY quickly. I hope this helps. Thanks for the question.