Community EMS Receives Prestigious Accreditation

Saves costly transport of newborn infant

• Community Emergency Medical Services
• 2009 Nov 20

SOUTHFIELD , Mich. -- The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) has awarded Community Emergency Medical Services(CEMS) its “gold standard” accreditation for the medical transportation industry, a higher caliber than is typically required for state or local licensing.

CAAS was established to encourage and promote quality patient care in America’s medical transportation system. The process for accreditation includes a comprehensive self-assessment and an independent outside review of the EMS organization. This independent process provides verification to a service’s Board of Directors, city council, medical community and others that quality care is provided to the community.

“This CAAS accreditation distinguishes us from other EMS companies and is proof of CEMS’s continuing commitment to quality patient care in our communities, and to our partners, our local officials and the agencies we work with,” said Greg Beauchemin, president and CEO of CEMS. “I am proud of our staff that worked so diligently and effectively in passing the rigorous CAAS process that took 14 months to achieve.”

The CAAS panel members also extended a special commendation to CEMS for the outstanding achievement of having no deficiencies in the on-site review.

There are an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 ambulance providers in the United States today and only 128 are currently accredited, which makes this a small, elite group of medical transportation systems who strive to pursue quality patient care.

CAAS Accreditation for CEMS
There are 10 standards a medical transportation system needs to pass, including: organization (business arrangement); inter-agency relations; management; financial management; community relations and public affairs; human resources; clinical standards; safe operations and managing risks; equipment and facilities; and communication center.

CAAS conducts an off-site and on-site review of all applicants, consisting of visitation, interviews and observation by a team of site reviewers whose role is to verify that the service meets the standards established by the commission. Then a deliberation is held to determine whether the service meets all requirements and is made by an independent, impartial panel of commissioners. They represent healthcare, law and business.

This is a three-year accreditation.

Community EMS, established in 1982,is a not-for-profit corporation, headquartered in Southfield, Mich., with nine business units under its corporate umbrella in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Texas CEMS provides high-quality, courteous, prompt and cost-effective emergency and non-emergency treatment and transportation, along with educational services, to healthcare organizations, municipalities and the communities it serves.