Introduction to Emergency Medical Services Unit 1 Introduction to Emergency Medical Services

Overview Introduction and mission of EMS History and evolution of EMS Network of EMS professionals Components of EMS system Future challenges

Introduction Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Mission of EMS A coordinated network of professionals Provides a variety of emergency medical care services Mission of EMS Provide patient care prior to hospitalization Involvement in public health Identify and resolve public health concerns

History of Medical Services Military contribution to EMS Roman Wars (1500 B.C.) Chariots used to transport wounded Napoleonic Wars (1797) Horse-drawn ambulance volante is constructed U.S. Civil War (1860s) The First Ambulance Service and American Red Cross are created

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) A horse-drawn carriage called the ambulance volante in Napolean’s time. The First Ambulance Service in the United States is developed by U.S. Army Surgeon Jonathan Letterman.

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Military contribution to EMS (cont’d.) The World Wars (1910-1940) Air medic transport, combat medic, field hospitals, first aid stations, and mechanized ambulances arrive Korean and Vietnam Wars (1950-1970) Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) are developed

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Military contribution to EMS (cont’d.) Iraq War (1970s–Present) 68W health care specialist (Army medic) introduced Development of specialized medical techniques to treat combat-specific injuries: special blood-stopping dressings, one-handed tourniquets, surgical procedures for extremity injuries and burns

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Civilian contribution to EMS U.S. ambulances (1865-1960) First civilian ambulance service in Cincinnati Horse-drawn carriage ambulance with interns in New York City Hospital staff accompany the “Invalid’s Car” in Des Moines First volunteer rescue squad formed in Roanoke Figure 1.2 Modern civilian EMS

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Civilian contribution to EMS (cont’d.) Out-of-hospital medical advances (1950s) American Red Cross provides basic medical training to rescue squad members Mouth-to-mouth ventilation Civilian cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course Prototypical EMT-Ambulance course

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Civilian contribution to EMS (cont’d.) Development of an EMS system (1960s) In 1966 a white paper was produced on “Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society The National Highway Safety Act First coronary care units First paramedic telemetry units Medic One paramedic program

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Civilian contribution to EMS (cont’d.) The Star of Life & Voices of EMS (1970s) National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) “Emergency!” debuts on television Emergency Medical Services System Act National Association of EMTs (NAEMT) American Ambulance Association (AAA)

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Civilian contribution to EMS (cont’d.) Star of Life adopted as national EMS symbol (1973) Six points: integrated components of EMS Central staff symbolic of medicine and healing Star of Life, the national EMS symbol

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Civilian contribution to EMS (cont’d.) Agenda for the future – funding (1980 – 2006) Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act EMS for Children (EMS-C) program The Trauma Care Systems and Development Act

History of Medical Services (cont’d.) Civilian contribution to EMS (cont’d.) Agenda for the future – education (1980 – 2006) National Research Council National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Institute of Medicine “The EMS Agenda for the Future”

Modern EMS Universal access 9-1-1 allows universal access to emergency services Computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system PASP (Public Safety Access Point) Medical Priority Dispatching

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Universal access (cont’d.) Emergency Medical Dispatch Emergency dispatcher takes caller info, alerts emergency services and prioritizes calls Provides medical care instructions Figure 1.4 Emergency Medical Dispatcher

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Universal access (cont’d.) Emergency Medical Responders First responder (FR) Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Figure 1.5 Emergency Medical Responder

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Universal access (cont’d.) Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic entry level training Found aboard ambulance or field Knowledge covers basics of many illnesses and management of a patient during transport to hospital

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Universal access (cont’d.) Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) Intermediate level EMS provider Skills of an AEMT are of high benefit and low risk to the patient Trained in specialized or advanced techniques

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Universal access (cont’d.) Paramedic Highest level of EMS pre-hospitalization education 1,000 to 1,500 hours of training Expanded training and education in the management of the ill or injured patient Advanced skill set

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Origins and practice of emergency medicine American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) formed in 1968 Emergency medicine recognized as a specialty in medicine in 1979 Figure 1.8 The Emergency Physician is the leader of the EMS team

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Specialty care centers Aeromedical transportation Trauma centers Provide expert surgical care within the first hour of traumatic injury Aeromedical transportation Provides mix of pre-hospital emergency response and interfacility transport Composed of nurses and an Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P)

Modern EMS (cont’d.) The future of EMS Aging Americans Homelessness Baby boomer generation is aging EMS calls to elderly patients are increasing Homelessness Results in greater use of EMS system and emergency departments Infectious disease Increasing resistance to antibiotics

Modern EMS (cont’d.) Operational challenges Human resources Decreasing membership because many EMS workers are volunteers Financial restrictions Cost of equipment, training, and insurance Many EMS organizations are under-funded

Conclusion Rich past of EMS has many examples of heroism and leadership Future of EMS depends on attention to trends in emergency medicine and the challenges they may present Research-based practices should be used to refine daily practices to provide the best quality of care