White paper addresses need for EMS federal agency

By EMS1 Staff

WASHINGTON — A federal EMS administration is needed to improve patient care in the United States and standardize training and certification requirements for responders, according to a new white paper.

The document — drafted by The International Association of EMS Chiefs and National EMS Labor Alliance — identifies the challenges and problems resulting from a lack of a lead federal agency with responsibility for EMS.

It says the Department of Homeland Security, specifically the Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response, has the authority to establish and oversee a federal EMS administration.

"Leveraging this authority will have a resounding positive effect on the over 16 million patients transported by EMS agencies each year, as well as the many others who benefit from EMS services other than transport each year," the document says.

Among the challenges outlined include:

• Disparities in health outcomes
• Variable training and certification requirements
• Equipment limitations
• Inadequate personnel and patient safety resources and standards
• Insufficient funding
• Lack of evidence-based standards and data

"This document was developed following a presentation and discussion on the status of national preparedness policy and the role of EMS at the annual IAEMSC Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. in October 2010”, Lawrence E. Tan, President of the IAEMSC," said.

"We were pleased to work together with the EMSLA toward the common goal of building and sustaining emergency medical services as a critical component of our nation’s preparedness and resilience."

Limited local, state and federal subsidies or grant funding has resulted in a dependence on transport revenue to support system costs, resulting in the disparities in health outcomes, the paper says.

All Americans who call on EMS during their times of greatest need should have confidence that regardless of whether their local EMS provides 1,000 transports a year or 100,000, they will get the same level of care," it says.

The paper – which has been submitted to the White House – recommends the establishment of a federal EMS administration within the existing DHS Directorate of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

This would work toward national EMS systems improvement, according to the document, and help:

• Establish evidence-based national standards for EMS system performance measurement.
• Establish a National EMS Academy to promulgate and implement national education standards and certification necessary for functional regionalized EMS systems.
• Utilize enhanced national EMS data collection system to implement EMS system improvement, and to drive optimal patient care and performance measurement.
• Establish EMS leadership competencies consistent with identified national core and expanded health care missions.
• Maintain public accountability and transparency for all aspects of EMS systems nationally.
• Institute training and workforce development programs consistent with national EMS system improvements.
• The Regionalization of EMS to optimize resources and service delivery.
• Maintain critical workforce levels.
• Advocacy and advancements in personnel and patient safety.