Date: Thursday, May 7
Time: 1 p.m. ET | 12 p.m. CT | 10 a.m. PT
Register now using the “Register for this EMS1 Webinar” box on this page!
Can’t make the date? Register anyway and we’ll send you a recording after the event. *
The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act (PPAEMA) became law in 2017, but the DEA’s recently finalized rule has imposed new standards and regulations related to how EMS agencies handle controlled substances.
This webinar will discuss the final rule and look at how EMS agencies can better store, track, administer and transport controlled substances. For many organizations, the biggest challenge isn’t understanding the rule – it’s figuring out what “compliance” looks like day to day, especially amid staffing pressures, documentation demands and increasing legal scrutiny around medication errors.
We will break down the practical implications of the DEA’s updated guidance, including expectations around secure, auditable storage. You’ll hear how agencies are approaching medication management in a way that supports provider accountability, reduces opportunities for diversion, and helps streamline workflows tied to inventory, wasting and documentation.
The session will also explore related trends shaping medication practices in the field – such as evolving pain-management approaches and the growing focus on preventing dosing and medication-selection errors – while keeping the central focus where it belongs: protecting patients and the clinicians who care for them.
By joining this webinar, you will:
- Learn what the new DEA guidance means for EMS operations, key takeaways and what agencies should prioritize now.
- Understand how better controls can help reduce diversion risk and limit exposure as medical errors face greater legal scrutiny.
- Gain operational strategies to reduce manual tasks, improve documentation and support inventory visibility.
- Learn how traceability and safeguards can help prevent mix-ups and dosing errors.
- Overcome common barriers to adoption and find resources to support implementation.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- Paramedics
- EMTs
- EMS chiefs and administrators
- Field supervisors
- Agency compliance teams
- Medical directors and operations managers
- Inventory management or controlled-substance
* Please note the Q and A portion of the webinar will only be available for live event attendees.
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Kevin Joles is the Division Chief of EMS for the Olathe Fire Department in Kansas (USA) and serves as Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs EMS Section. With nearly 30 years in emergency services, he has led systemwide improvements in prehospital care, clinical quality, and operational readiness across fire-based EMS. Kevin’s progressive mentality has him spearheading new initiatives to improve cardiac arrest survivability through data-driven quality improvement, evidence-based training, and strong regional collaboration. He is a national advocate for advancing EMS policy, workforce development, and sustainable reimbursement models, with a focus on patient-centered outcomes, treatment in place, and alternate destination transport. Kevin is also a Board Member of the Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation Consortium and is recognized for building partnerships that strengthen local response and elevate EMS nationally.
Dr. Douglas Kupas is the current president of the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP). He is an EMS and emergency physician with Geisinger Health System in central Pennsylvania where he is professor of emergency medicine and medical director of the Mobile Integrated Healthcare program. He also spent over 22 years as the Commonwealth EMS Medical Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health.