To aid EMS agencies in planning for responses and staffing needs for various medical calls, a collaborative of EMS organizations, including the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) produced national guidelines—”Rethinking Emergency Medical Services: Applying Evidence and Data to Redesign Response Models for a Resilient and Sustainable Future.”
Patient outcome data from peer-reviewed publications that considered response times and EMS staffing shaped this guidance document.
“We sincerely thank Matt Zavadsky, EMS/Mobile Healthcare Consultant for PWW Advisory Group and member of NAEMT’s Economics Committee, for spearheading this important project,” said Christopher Way, BS, NAEMT President.
NAEMT collaborated with the following agencies on the white paper:
- The Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration
- The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch
- The International Association of Fire Chiefs
- The International Association of Fire Fighters
- The National Association of EMS Physicians
- The National Association of State EMS Officials
- The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
- The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
“The representatives from the organizations participating in this white paper demonstrated exceptional expertise and true collaborative spirit on a crucial guidance document for EMS and community leaders. The document cites 31 evidence-based, peer-reviewed research articles, along with recent Joint Position Statements on Reducing Lights & Siren Vehicle Operations on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Responses and EMS Performance Metrics – Beyond Response Times. Such incredible collaboration on these three major industry initiatives is unprecedented,” said Matt Zavadsky, the task force’s coordinator.
Key Quotes from the White Paper
“The current Emergency Medical Services (EMS) delivery model places significant emphasis on short response times and advanced life support (ALS) staffing. However, contemporary evidence-based research has revealed response times have little to no impact on patient outcomes for the majority of EMS responses, and only 6.9% of patients accessing EMS require potentially life saving interventions (PLSI).”
“The EMS staffing crisis highlights the need for reasonable, evidence-based and data driven system design and response changes to sustain these vital services while addressing the root causes of workforce shortages and economic challenges.”
“EMS system leaders should critically evaluate clinical, operational and financial data, provide essential education for local stakeholders, including community leaders, about local realities of EMS response acuities, and engage in informed, collaborative decision-making regarding system redesign to mitigate the staffing and resource challenges faced at the local level.”
