Paul Hinchey, MD, has been appointed medical director for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT).
I am truly honored by the chance to serve the members of NAEMT, said Hinchey. NAEMT has, for three decades, been a unifying voice for an historically under-recognized and undervalued EMS system.
In my 20 years in EMS as a provider, educator and now as a medical director, I have seen significant advances in EMS, he continued. Unfortunately, as EMS providers we continue to battle for pay parity as well as recognition of the valuable public service we perform, the contribution we provide to the health care system and the critical role we play in our patients care.
The creation of the Medical Director position demonstrates NAEMT leadership s commitment to furthering these causes, Hinchey said. This position will help us to strengthen the relationship among physician organizations such as the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the National Association of EMS Physicians, and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and to create champions among these organizations for the NAEMT s cause. These are exciting times for EMS and it is a privilege to be part of such an important organization and its efforts on behalf of EMS providers.
Appointing Dr. Hinchey allows us to further engage the physician community while adding credibility from a clinical perspective, said NAEMT President Jerry Johnston. Hinchey will provide medical direction and overall supervision of the clinical aspects of NAEMT. He will also serve as a resource to the Board of Directors for short- and long-term strategic planning and membership services as they relate to clinical practice.
A former paramedic, Hinchey is the assistant medical director for the Wake County EMS System in North Carolina. He completed his residency and EMS fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is a past recipient of the Jean K. Hollister Memorial Award from the Emergency Medicine Residents Association.
Hinchey is an attending physician in the department of emergency medicine at WakeMed Health Hospitals in Raleigh and Cary, North Carolina. Hinchey is a member of the Air Medical Physicians Association, the Medical Society of North Carolina, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine and the National Association of EMS Physicians.
