6 actions to join EMS 3.0 transformation

Here are six immediate actions for EMS leaders to join the EMS 3.0 transformation

January 05, 2017 05:02 PM •

A MedStar community paramedic conducts a point-of-care test during a patient visit.

The transformation to EMS 3.0 is expanding roles and opportunities for EMS systems. Five of the most common roles already being undertaken are nurse triage, post discharge follow-up care, chronic disease management, ambulance transport alternatives and payment alternatives. To begin preparing your EMS agency for the 3.0 transformation, here are six actions you should do immediately:

1. Read the book Mobile Integrated Healthcare: Approach to Implementation from Jones and Bartlett Learning. It provides an excellent overview of the steps toward EMS 3.0 you can take in your local community.

2. Visit the NAEMT MIH-CP Knowledge Center. It contains excellent resources that are updated regularly to help you learn about the transformation movement.

3. Attend the upcoming EMS Transformation Summit in Washington, D.C. This annual educational conference is specifically focused on the attributes of the 3.0 transformation.

4. Start talking to your local health care stakeholders. Find out what their concerns are and educate them on the ways your EMS agency can help them meet their Triple Aim goals.

5. Enroll in the IHI Open School program. This educational offering teaches you how to do quality improvement in health care. Yes, EMS is health care and the IHI Open School will arm you with the knowledge and skills to do transformation. NAEMT has full-tuition scholarships available as a member benefit for NAEMT members.

6. Enroll in the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI) email news distribution list. AIMHI regularly sends out timely articles on the health care and EMS transformation. It is a great way to stay up to date on the changes that will affect you and your agency. To subscribe, send an email to MZavadsky@medstar911.org.

Matt Zavadsky, MS-HSA, EMT

Matt Zavadsky, MS-HSA, EMT, is the chief transformation officer at MedStar Mobile Healthcare, the exclusive emergency and non-emergency Public Utility Model EMS system for Fort Worth and 14 other cities in North Texas that provides service to 436 square miles and more than 1 million residents and responds to over 170,000 calls a year with a fleet of 65 ambulances. MedStar is a high-performance, high-value Emergency Medical Services system, providing advanced clinical care with high economic efficiency.

MedStar is one of the most well-known EMS agencies in the county, and operates a high-performance system with no tax subsidy, and the recipient of the EMS World/NAEMT Paid EMS system of the Year, and the only agency to be named an EMS10 Innovator by JEMS Magazine.

He is also the co-author of the book “Mobile Integrated Healthcare – Approach to Implementation” published by Jones and Bartlett Publishing.

He has 42 years’ experience in EMS and holds a master’s degree in Health Service Administration with a Graduate Certificate in Health Care Data Management. Matt is a frequent speaker at national conferences and has done consulting in numerous EMS issues, specializing in high-performance EMS operations, finance, mobile integrated healthcare, public/media relations, public policy, transformative economic strategies, and EMS research.

Matt is also immediate past president of the National Association of EMTs, and chairs their EMS Economics Committee.