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EMS Management Article

February 07, 2012


EMS News in Focus
by Art Hsieh

MedStar's model is shining example for us all

Any system can take a few ideas from this study and modify them to address their particular needs

By Art Hsieh

It is great to see a prehospital study of this size demonstrate the ability of EMS to contribute to the overall health care strategy.

Related Article:

As I mentioned recently, EMS needs to evolve fairly rapidly just to keep up with the speed of change that is quietly but definitely moving through the house of medicine.

In this case, the EMS system involved in the study worked on multiple fronts to reduce the number of unnecessary transports by their units, which in turn reduced the number of admissions to the local emergency departments.

These changes were implemented with relatively little cost and by using existing staffing.

The result was a gain in financial and operational efficiency — a great measure by any means.

Not all systems can implement these configuration changes. Reviewing the article, it is clear that there needs to be multidisciplinary support for the concept and an array of resources to implement and monitor.

Yet any system can take a few ideas and modify them to address their particular needs. These types of efforts can really sharpen an EMS system's management of its local community, no matter how big or small.

About the author

EMS1 Editorial Advisor Art Hsieh, MA, NREMT-P currently teaches at the Public Safety Training Center, Santa Rosa Junior College in the Emergency Care Program. In the profession since 1982, Art has worked as a line medic and chief officer in the private, third service and fire-based EMS. He has directed both primary and EMS continuing education programs. A Past President of the National Association of EMS Educators, former Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Paramedic Association, and a scholarship recipient of the American Society of Association Executives, Art is a published textbook author, has presented at conferences nationwide, and continues to provide patient care at a rural hospital-based ALS system. Contact Art at Art.Hsieh@ems1.com.

Comments
The comments below are member-generated and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EMS1.com or its staff.
Matt Zavadsky Matt Zavadsky Tuesday, February 07, 2012 10:48:41 AM Thanks Art - we have an outstanding community health and medical direction team that make this possible!
Greg Montgomery Greg Montgomery Tuesday, February 07, 2012 6:30:57 PM Good memories of Medstar and Lifestar when I worked there in the late 80's. Nice to hear MedStar is still in Fort Worth. Is Lifestar still in Arlington?
Greg Montgomery Greg Montgomery Tuesday, February 07, 2012 6:31:58 PM oh, and we can't forget Careflight..are they still around?
Damien Gaumont Damien Gaumont Wednesday, February 08, 2012 3:35:19 AM HI Art. Could you post a link for the said study. Thanks.
Art Hsieh Art Hsieh Tue Feb 14 07:38:56 PST 2012 http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/content.aspx?id=3343
Damien Gaumont Damien Gaumont Tue Feb 14 08:14:50 PST 2012 Hi Art, thanks you very much. Nice study!
Steven Hull Steven Hull Wednesday, February 08, 2012 8:04:02 AM I think this could go along way to preventing burnout rates for EMS. It reduces how jaded some can feel about "Frequent Fliers" wasting the crews time. I also wonder in bigger cities, could this program be adapted and integrated into Public Health Nursing programs? Do the same training for Public Health Nurses to further free up more Advanced Paramedics. Altogether a fantastic win-win-win program.
Alexander Kuehl Alexander Kuehl Wednesday, February 08, 2012 2:54:43 PM KUDOS> As we have discussed, the future of EMS is innovation(and questioning many of our. current axioms). The problem is that we are ossified in our beliefs. I see similar programs introduced, and see them die. because the natural outcome is decresed call volume..and lesser (or different) staffing.
Jake Stein Jake Stein Saturday, February 11, 2012 8:38:00 AM No Art, you need to take a closer look at it and how it has hurt some it is supposed to help by bumping them out of eligibility for other much needed home health services. Another bandaid on a broken system instead of progressing to a more definitive solution in home health is not the answer. They have now sidelined many of the legislation from others which could have provided more solutions rather than just putting a finger in a leak of a large crack. I would have thought living in Calfornia you would have a better view of how this can spiral out of control when problems are not solved but rather just put off thinking a quick fix from cheaper labor is the answer. Unfortunately in Texas, the APP is not that cheap but no where near as educated, trained or experienced in providing the services actually needed by this population.
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