Desiree Partain
Mobile Integrated Healthcare Manager
Medstar Mobile Healthcare
Fort Worth, Texas
Other Titles & Roles
MIH Manager at Large, IBSC, NAEMT member
Tell us a little about yourself.
Born and raised in sunny San Diego, California. I have a military ( marine grandfather and navy grandfather, brother, and nephew) and first responder (law enforcement mother) family background. Days were spent in the water, whether it was our backyard pool or the beach. My parents instilled a strong work ethic in me at a young age that began as the neighborhood babysitter, to various positions at assisted living facilities and finally in EMS. I learned to take pride in the things I had and my work, whether it was completing a household chore, a writing assignment at school, or the vehicles I owned.
Your history with EMS
My mother was a police officer in the town I was raised in so the police and fire department was often my home away from home. I can remember being so fascinated with the ambulance and in admiration of the paramedics when I would go to visit. I told my parents when I was little that when I grew up, I would become a paramedic. After graduating high school, I began the series of classes to obtain my EMT. When 9/11 occurred, I remember sitting in my advanced first responder class that day and knowing that I had made the best decision to be apart of the first responder industry. I got EMT certification in 2002 and my first EMS job that same year. I began the paramedic academy in 2005 where I was the academy leader and valedictorian. I received my paramedic certification and began working on the ambulance in 2006. I was also working for an air ambulance company and an adjunct instructor. In 2009, I moved to Fort Worth, Texas to gain further experience on the ambulance. I took a critical care course in 2010 and began working as a critical care/mobile health paramedic in 2011. I obtained my Bachelors in Health and Human Services in 2013 and began a quality assurance/training coordinator position specific for mobile integrated healthcare in 2014. In 2015 I began working as the MIH Manager where I obtain my CCP-C and CP-C certification and completed my Masters in Healthcare Administration in 2018.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love people and being able to help someone who may be having one of the worst days of their life. I view my position in EMS as more of an opportunity to be a life changer than a life saver. Being in management, my position is to lead other life changers. On the mobile integrated healthcare and critical care side, I love being a part of the innovation and out-of-the-box thinking. It’s great to be able to come to work and be in an environment that embraces change rather than the status quo of “we’ve always done it that way” type of thinking.
What is your biggest professional challenge?
Staying current. EMS and healthcare is in a constant state of change and with those changes comes new processes, protocols, and general information that need to be learned. Remaining current with the changes on top of daily responsibilities can be a challenging balancing act.
What is your typical day like?
Working in the administrative side of EMS, a typical day often involves multiple meetings either on or off site. I generally allow myself some time in the morning to go over my tasks for the day, read, and respond to emails. In between meetings, I will work on projects and to-do’s and filter questions or issues with team members. The end of the day is spent reviewing meeting notes, action items and my plan for the following day.
What are your predictions for EMS 10 years from now?
My vision for EMS 10 years from now is an industry that is even more integrated with the overall healthcare system. The use of systems to further enhance efficiency and communication in the emergency and non-emergency settings. Integrated care that starts at the time of the 9-1-1 call with the most appropriate resource deployment, on-scene management whether its offering care without transport or transport to a healthcare facility aside from an emergency room.
What advice would you give to someone new to EMS?
Take pride in what you do in this industry from your uniform appearance, to your ambulance, to the patients you serve, and to yourself. Take care of you first by practicing self care and finding a healthy balance between your personal and professional life. Create professional goals for yourself whether its through education, positions, or organizations and hold yourself accountable to accomplish those goals.
Jameson Fernandez
