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All Clear Foundation Names Mike Taigman Chairman of the Board

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in AAA HQ, Employee Wellness, Human Resources, News, Press.

This appointment demonstrates its commitment to serving those in emergency services with the wellness resources they need, when they need them, free of charge

Denver, Colorado, USA – All Clear Foundation (ACF), a national 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to improving the wellbeing and longevity of Emergency Responders, including Healthcare Workers, and their families, has appointed Mike Taigman Chairman of the Board.

“My life’s purpose–for my entire life–has been to recognize suffering in all its forms and do something about it. All Clear Foundation’s mission is in complete alignment with that passion,” says Taigman. “I am humbled and excited by this opportunity.”

A Proven Track Record

Taigman brings a wealth of experience to this role. He spent decades on the streets of Denver as a paramedic, honing his “people first” approach. The author of more than 600 articles in professional journals, Taigman is a recognized expert in the areas of quality improvement, data science, leadership, and EMS. He serves as adjunct faculty at University of Maryland, Baltimore County and UCSF, and he is the Improvement Guide at FirstWatch, a data analytics firm dedicated to quality improvement in public safety.

“We are thrilled to have Mike on board,” says Rhonda Kelly, the foundation’s Executive Director. “His passion for improving quality of life among Emergency Responders is sincere and his track record is unparalleled. We appreciate his focus on the full spectrum of wellness supports from proactive education to crisis intervention.  And we are very excited about his commitment to utilizing evidence-based practices to drive improvement.”

ACF relies upon the power of strategic partnerships to affect change and appreciates Taigman’s extensive experience building and growing partnerships in the Responder wellness world. In addition to facilitating development of EMS Agenda 2050, a vision EMS 20 years into the future, he is the author of Super-Charge Your Stress Management in the Age of COVID and is regular faculty at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

 

A Vision Forward

Among his top priorities, Taigman looks forward to ensuring the sustainability of All Clear’s mission. “My hope is to support the ongoing mission and build sustainable support and funding for the foundation so we can continue this important work,” says Taigman. “There’s so much evidence that being involved in emergency services and healthcare takes a toll on the folks doing the job.”

“All Clear Foundation has pulled together an ecosystem of resources that is unmatched and provides them free of charge to Emergency Responders, their agencies, and their families. Securing reliable support for these efforts is essential and ongoing.”

A Clear Need

The need is there. One study found Emergency Responders suffer from depression and PTSD at five times the rate of the general population. Among the many challenges inherent in the work are frequent trauma exposure, rotating shift schedules, limited agency support, amplified stress on the family and other relationships, and physical injury.

“Too many Emergency Responders have paid for their service with their lives, either in quality or longevity,” says Director Kelly. “The barriers of shame, stigma, lack of local resources, and lack of finances have kept many from accessing the supports they deserve and need. This is where All Clear Foundation steps in. Built by Responders, for Responders, we are here to help across the domains of wellness: mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual.”

Supporting First Responders

All Clear Foundation provides an array of easily accessible and navigable wellness solutions at no cost to agencies or participants. ResponderStrong, its mental health initiative, has had a significant impact nationally and continues to grow with hybrid-format educational content and digital tools. Partners organizations include Global Medical Response, FirstNet-Built with AT&T, Abbott Nutrition, The Center for Relationship Education, IndyCar, IPSDI, Sigma Tactical Wellness, and NERPSC.

“The work All Clear and its partner organizations provide is saving lives,” says Taigman. “But, beyond that, it’s making Emergency Responders happier, healthier, and more resilient. This is good news for all of us.”

 

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ABOUT FIRSTWATCH

Since 1998, FirstWatch has been helping EMS agencies monitor real-time situational awareness, operational performance, clinical quality and performance improvement measures, as well as health surveillance, bioterrorism or other potentially concerning incidents. FirstWatch is designed to aggregate data from your agency’s CAD, ePCR, ProQA, RMS, Hospital ED, Billing and Phone system into a single, automated real-time view. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.net.

ABOUT ALL CLEAR FOUNDATION

Through assessing community wellness needs, priorities, and barriers, All Clear Foundation, a 501c3 public charity, leverages the power of strategic partnerships to create easily accessible and navigable systems of wellness solutions, improving the wellbeing and longevity of those who serve our communities. In 2019, ACF was founded by Global Medical Response as an autonomous public charity designed to serve and benefit the national Emergency Responder community. As one of the largest employers of Public Safety personnel in the U.S., GMR believes it has a duty to support the overall wellness of all Responders nationally. All Clear Foundation’s mission is to improve the overall wellbeing and longevity of those who serve our communities in times of need. We believe that healthy emergency responders contribute to healthier communities. For more information, visit www.allclearfoundation.org.

For more information, please contact Crawford Coates at ccoates@firstwatch.net.

Webinar | Who Was Jack Stout and Why Do His Ideas Still Resonate?

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Webinars.

From AIMHI, FirstWatch, and the National EMS Museum | Hosted on Prodigy EMS

Who Was Jack Stout and Why Do His Ideas Still Resonate?

Thursday, June 24th | 9:00am PT (12:00pm ET)
Followed by a 30 minute session for remaining Q&A and practical tips for FirstWatch customers and interested Public Safety agencies
The late Jack Stout, an economist by training, is considered the father of high performance EMS. His public utility model, implemented in a half a dozen spots in the 70’s and 80s, transformed how communities thought about the relationship between efficiency, policy, and patient centric care in their EMS systems. Almost every EMS system in America includes elements of his design. He captured his ideas in more than a 100 articles and columns in JEMS, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, in the 1980’s.
The National EMS Museum just announced the formation of the Jack Stout Archive, where his legacy in writing will live on. The archive received the financial support of FirstWatch and the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI.)
In this highly interactive CTM, facilitators Mike Taigman and Rob Lawrence will be joined by Kristy Van Hoven, the Museum’s director, Todd Stout, Jack’s son and president of FirstWatch, Keith Griffiths, the founding editor of JEMS, and Jon Washko, a “Stoutian” disciple and highly respected consultant and EMS system expert. They’ll discuss the Archive and its mission. They will explore with you why Jack’s ideas are vital for today’s EMS leader and key for the design of EMS systems in the future.
Speakers:
Kristy Van Hoven
Kristy Van Hoven joined The National EMS Museum team in late 2018 and is currently serving as the Director of The National EMS Museum (NEMSM). In partnership with the Museum’s Board of Directors, she is leading the charge for NEMSM to grow into the national museum dedicated to preserving the legacy and stories of early pre-hospital care while inspiring a future generation of EMS professionals through engaging exhibitions, research, and programs. Concurrently, Kristy is pursuing a doctoral degree in which she is studying the effect museum programs and collections have on the health and wellbeing of those suffering brain trauma and how partnerships between medical professionals and museums can create a network of care for patients and practitioners beyond the clinical walls.
Todd Stout
Todd Stout, President of FirstWatch and the recipient of a JEMS EMS 10 Innovator Award, a Pinnacle Leadership Award, and the Dr. Jeff Clawson Leadership Award has extensive experience in multiple aspects of EMS, including in the field, dispatch, management and public safety communications software. He began his career as an EMS Stock boy and has spent the last two decades focusing on helping public safety and health agencies improve operational performance, clinical care and situational awareness.
Keith Griffiths
Keith Griffiths is the founding partner of the RedFlash Group, an award-winning communications and marketing firm serving the public safety market. He was the founding editor JEMS, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, where he worked with the late Jim Page to build Jems Communications, which included the EMS Today trade show, a book division, newsletters and other periodicals. He worked as Jack Stout’s editor for nearly 10 years during the 1980’s.
Jonathan Wahsko
Jonathan Washko, MBA, FACPE, NRP, AEMD has been involved in the EMS industry for over 30 years and has held progressive leadership positions with small, medium and large EMS systems and has worked with or for government, private, for-profit and not-for-profit entities. Mr. Washko is considered the leading industry expert on EMS system design, High Performance EMS concepts, Industry Best Practices, EMS Deployment, Lean Business Processes, System Status Management, Use of Technology, IP Development, EMS Economics and EMS Finance and is often called upon by EMS systems in crisis as well as those considered at the top of their game, in order to help transform these organizations to become the best they can be. Mr. Washko frequently speaks at national conferences, is a JEMS EMS10 Innovator award recipient, sits on various industry boards and advises EMS agencies and governments on an international basis on EMS Systems improvement.
Facilitators:
Mike Taigman, MA
Mike uses more than four decades of experience to help EMS leaders and field personnel improve the care and service they provide to patients and their communities. Mike is the improvement guide for FirstWatch and a nationally recognized author and speaker. He was the facilitator for the national EMS Agenda 2050 project and teaches improvement science in the Master’s in Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership program at the University of California San Francisco. He will serve as host and facilitator for Conversations that Matter.
Rob Lawrence, MCMI
Rob has part-time roles as Director of Strategic Implementation for Pro EMS of Cambridge, Mass. and the Executive Director of the California Ambulance Association. Rob is also the Principal of Robert Lawrence Consulting. Rob served as the California COO with Paramedics Plus after nine years as the COO of the Richmond Ambulance Authority. Prior to that, he was the COO for Suffolk as part of the East of England Ambulance Service. He is a graduate of the UK’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, serving for 23 years as a Medical Support Officer. Rob is the Communications Committee Chair of the American Ambulance Association, a member of the EMS World Advisory Board, and an accomplished writer, broadcaster and international speaker.

 

National EMS Museum Jack Stout Archive Announced

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 13, 2021

Media Contact:

Jenny Abercrombie
jabercrombie@firstwatch.net
951.440.6848

FirstWatch and the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI) Partner to Fund the Jack Stout Archive at The National EMS Museum

Online Collection will Showcase the Late EMS Visionary’s Legacy

Carlsbad, Calif.—FirstWatch, a technology and quality improvement company serving public safety and healthcare organizations, has partnered with the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration to preserve the written legacy of the late EMS visionary Jack Stout. The partnership will fund an online archive hosted by The National EMS Museum, making more than 100 of Stout’s articles and essays available to the public. Many of them appeared in JEMS, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, beginning with his pivotal series introducing the concepts of high-performance EMS in the May 1980 edition.

As EMS Week approaches with the theme of, “This is EMS: Caring for our Communities,”

Keith Griffiths, the founding editor of JEMS and now a partner with the RedFlash Group, noted that

Stout is known for creating efficiency in EMS systems. However, his philosophy was very much about doing what was best for the patient and their community, according to their priorities and policies.  Griffiths worked with Stout on dozens of his articles and columns. “He was a brilliant communicator and storyteller,” he said, “taking abstract concepts and making them come alive with clear, down-to-earth prose that still resonates today.”

Known as the “Father of High-Performance EMS and System Status Management,” Stout developed his concepts in the 1970s to improve EMS systems by making them more efficient and focused on patient care. An economist by trade, he found that applying the science, concepts, and economics used in manufacturing provided the framework for standing up high-quality EMS systems that could afford to provide effective and reliable prehospital care.

Stout’s son, FirstWatch Founder and President, Todd Stout, has granted The National EMS Museum the rights to provide access to all of his father’s articles in a format that’s fully searchable. “Teaming up with AIMHI was the natural and obvious choice to enable The National EMS Museum to ensure my father’s work, which is still so timely today, is available for future generations to learn from,” he said. “We appreciate that JEMS provided a good home for his ideas for more than a decade.”

The National EMS Museum will digitally transcribe and catalog the documents as part of its digital library and research archives—part of the virtual museum program created and maintained by volunteers. Many of the articles are already available in the museum’s online Jack Stout Archive. Additional material will be added in future months.

“We’re delighted to preserve and share these historical and transformative articles,” said Kristy Van Hoven, the museum’s director.

“AIMHI is proud to partner with FirstWatch to contribute to the creation of the Jack Stout Archive,” said Chip Decker, president of AIMHI and CEO of the Richmond Ambulance Authority. “His legacy lives on as many of our member organizations were formed around the high-performance principles and practices of Jack’s work—which is increasingly valuable in today’s economically-challenged EMS landscape.”

The principles established by Stout led to the creation (by him, Jay Fitch, and others) of nationally recognized and award-winning high-performance EMS systems including the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) in Fort Wayne, Indiana; the Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) in Richmond, Virginia; Metropolitan EMS (MEMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas; the Regional EMS Authority (REMSA) in Reno, Nevada; the EMS Authority (EMSA) in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; the Sunstar system in Pinellas County, Florida; and MEDIC in Charlotte, North Carolina.

On June 24, FirstWatch will host a special edition of Conversations That Matter—a series of thought-provoking discussions in EMS—to answer the question, “Who Was Jack and Why Do His Ideas Still Resonate?” Facilitators Mike Taigman and Rob Lawrence will be joined by Kristy Van Hoven, Todd Stout, Keith Griffiths, and Jon Washko, a “Stoutian” disciple and highly respected consultant and EMS system expert, to explore why Stout’s ideas remain critically relevant for today’s EMS leader and key to the design of EMS systems of the future. Register for the session now here.

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About FirstWatch

FirstWatch helps public safety and healthcare professionals serve their communities through the use of technology and the science of quality improvement. Drawing on deep experience in emergency services, the FirstWatch team develops software and personalized solutions to help organizations continuously improve at what they do. Founded in 1998, and based in Carlsbad, Calif., FirstWatch has partnered with more than 500 communities across North America to improve outcomes, efficiency, safety, and operations. Learn more at: https://firstwatch.net.

About the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI)

The Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI) represents high performance emergency medical and mobile healthcare providers in the U.S. and abroad. AIMHI, formerly known as the Coalition of Advanced Emergency Medical Services (CAEMS), changed its name in March 2015 to better reflect its members’ dedication to promoting high performance ambulance and mobile integrated healthcare systems working diligently to performance and technological advancements. Member organizations are high performance systems that employ business practices from both the public and private sectors. By combining industry innovation with close government oversight, AIMHI affiliates are able to offer unsurpassed service excellence and cost efficiency. Learn more at: http://aimhi.mobi/.

About The National EMS Museum

The National EMS Museum is dedicated to preserving and commemorating the history of EMS in the U.S. By collecting historic equipment, books, articles and tools of the trade, the museum showcases how EMS has developed over the last 150 years. Through the study of the past, the museum strives to inspire EMS practitioners and leaders of today to develop new tools and procedures to provide better and more effective emergency care to patients and communities. Learn more at: https://emsmuseum.org/.

COVID-19 Update II for EMS

Written by Rob Lawrence on . Posted in Emergency Preparedness, Patient Care, Regulatory.

First Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the United States

The New England Journal of Medicine has rapidly published a peer-reviewed paper on the Snohomish County WA ‘Patient 1’. This was the first reported case of COVID 19 in the US. This seminal document, which given the magnitude of the case and its initial findings is released in full here

The work by Michelle L. Holshue, M.P.H., Chas DeBolt, M.P.H., Scott Lindquist, M.D., Kathy H. Lofy, et al for the Washington State 2019-nCoV Case Investigation Team was turned round in just over 5 weeks and below is an ‘Executive summary’ ( as extracted from the paper) but the full paper and range of results should be read in full.

Patient Presentation

On January 19, 2020, a 35-year-old man presented to an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington, with a 4-day history of cough and subjective fever. On checking into the clinic, the patient put on a mask in the waiting room. After waiting approximately 20 minutes, he was taken into an examination room and underwent evaluation by a provider. He disclosed that he had returned to Washington State on January 15 after traveling to visit family in Wuhan, China. The patient stated that he had seen a health alert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the novel coronavirus outbreak in China and, because of his symptoms and recent travel, decided to see a health care provider.

On admission, the patient reported persistent dry cough and a 2-day history of nausea and vomiting; he reported that he had no shortness of breath or chest pain. Vital signs were within normal ranges. On physical examination, the patient was found to have dry mucous membranes. The remainder of the examination was generally unremarkable. After admission, the patient received supportive care, including 2 liters of normal saline and ondansetron for nausea.

Viral Presence

Both upper respiratory specimens obtained on illness day 7 remained positive for 2019-nCoV, including persistent high levels in a nasopharyngeal swab specimen (Ct values, 23 to 24).

Stool obtained on illness day 7 was also positive for 2019-nCoV (Ct values, 36 to 38).

Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens obtained on illness days 11 and 12 showed a trend toward decreasing levels of virus

Day 8: Condition Improves

On hospital day 8 (illness day 12), the patient’s clinical condition improved. Supplemental oxygen was discontinued, and his oxygen saturation values improved to 94 to 96% while he was breathing ambient air. The previous bilateral lower-lobe rales were no longer present. His appetite improved, and he was asymptomatic aside from intermittent dry cough and rhinorrhea. As of January 30, 2020, the patient remains hospitalized. He is afebrile, and all symptoms have resolved with the exception of his cough, which is decreasing in severity.

History Taking

This case report highlights the importance of clinicians eliciting a recent history of travel or exposure to sick contacts in any patient presenting for medical care with acute illness symptoms, in order to ensure appropriate identification and prompt isolation of patients who may be at risk for 2019-nCoV infection and to help reduce further transmission. Finally, this report highlights the need to determine the full spectrum and natural history of clinical disease, pathogenesis, and duration of viral shedding associated with 2019-nCoV infection to inform clinical management and public health decision making.

Conclusion

There is little doubt that this paper is about to become a globally sited document as we continue to deal with COVID 19. As far as EMS and our first response to it goes, the paper reinforces the key actions currently being taken

 

Sample COVID-19 Policies for Mobile Healthcare Providers

Thank you to the following organizations for sharing their policies as examples.
Global Medical Response maintains a COVID-19 page to provide information to all members of the GMR community—clinicians and non-clinicians.

Updates from GMR Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ed Racht

GMR Procedures

General Information for Caregivers

Compliance

HIPAA Reminder

FirstWatch Solutions

The intention of the COVID-19 Process/Policy Template is to provide agencies, medical directors, or others who want to utilize it, an outline/template on which to build an agency-specific policy/protocol to address COVID-19. This includes suggestions for development and/or oversight committees, outside partners and stakeholders, as well as preparation and process for EMS workers who provide best practice care for patients as well as providing for the protection of pre-hospital providers and medical director(s). Its application is totally up to the user.

This document is meant to be a living document that can be revised as circumstances or guidance changes. It can also be a discussion piece for those who choose to develop a different type of policy but may want to use some of the components of the document as a starting point.

Agency Guidance
CDC Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for COVID-19 in the United States
NEW March 6, 2020: CMS COVID-19 FAQs for Healthcare Providers (PDF Download)

March 5, 2020: CMS issued a second Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code for certain COVID-19 laboratory tests, in addition to three fact sheets about coverage and benefits for medical services related to COVID-19 for CMS programs.  https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-develops-additional-code-coronavirus-lab-tests

March 4, 2020: CMS issued a call to action to healthcare providers nationwide and offered important guidance to help State Survey Agencies and Accrediting Organizations prioritize their inspections of healthcare. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-actions-address-spread-coronavirus

February 13, 2020: CMS issued a new HCPCS code for providers and laboratories to test patients for COVID-19.  https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/public-health-news-alert-cms-develops-new-code-coronavirus-lab-test

February 6, 2020: CMS gave CLIA-certified laboratories information about how they can test for SARS-CoV-2. https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/notification-surveyors-authorization-emergency-use-cdc-2019-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-real-time-rt

February 6, 2020: CMS issued a memo to help the nation’s healthcare facilities take critical steps to prepare for COVID-19.  https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/information-healthcare-facilities-concerning-2019-novel-coronavirus-illness-2019-ncov

COVID-19 Coronavirus EMS Advisory 1

Written by Rob Lawrence on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Global EMS, Operations, Patient Care, Professional Standards.

This guidance is written to offer American Ambulance Association members the situational background and a list of resources and websites with which to draw guidance and further updates on the latest situation with COVID-19, colloquially referred to as “Coronavirus.” Key information for this update has been drawn from the NHTSA EMS Focus series webinar What EMS, 911 and Other Public Safety Personnel Need to Know About COVID-19, which took place on February 24, 2020. The on-demand recording is available below.

General Information

Background

The COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease was first reported in Wuhan China in December 2019. CDC identifies that it was caused by the virus SARS – CoV-2. Early on, many patients were reported to have a link to a large seafood and live animal market. Later, patients did not have exposure to animal markets which indicates person-to-person transmission. Travel-related exportation of cases into the US was first reported January 21, 2020. For reference the first North American EMS experience of  COVID-19 patient transport, including key lessons learned, can be found in the EMS 1 article Transporting Patient 1.

Spread and Identification

Global investigations are now ongoing to better understand the spread. Based on what is known about other coronaviruses, it is presumed to spread primarily through person-to-person contact and may occur when respiratory droplets are produced when an infected person costs or sneezes. Spread could also occur when touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and when touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. Again, research is still ongoing, and advice and guidance will inevitably follow.

For the cases that have been identified so far, those patients with COVID19 have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms including fever and shortness of breath. Symptoms have typically appeared 2 to 14 days after exposure. Both the WHO and CDC advise that patients that have been to China and develop the symptoms should call their doctors.

COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment

To date, 30 international locations, in addition to the US, have reported confirmed cases of   COVID-19 infection. Inside the US, two instances of person-to-person spread of the virus have been detected. In both cases, these occurred after close and prolonged contact with a traveler who had recently returned from Wuhan, China.

The CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on January 21 and is coordinating closely with state and local partners to assist with identifying cases early; conducting case investigations; and learning about the virology, transmission, and clinical spectrum for this disease. The CDC is continuing to develop and refine guidance for multiple audiences, including the first responder and public safety communities.

As at the date of publication there is still no specific antiviral treatment licensed for   COVID-19, although the WHO and its affiliates are working to develop this.

The following are recommended preventative measures for  COVID-19 and many other respiratory illnesses:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% if soap and water are not readily available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw it away.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Interim Guidance for EMS and 911

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued its Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for COVID-19 in the United States.

The guidance identifies EMS as vital in responding to and providing emergency treatment for the ill. The nature of our mobile healthcare service delivery presents unique challenges in the working environment. It also identifies that coordination between PSAPs and EMS is critical.

Key points are summarized below:

Recommendations for 911 PSAP Locations

The link between PSAPs and EMS is essential. With the advent of COVID19 there is a need to modify caller queries to question callers and determine the possibility that the call concerns a person who may have signs or symptoms and risk factors for COVID19.

The International Academy of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) recommends that agencies using its Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) should use its Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) Tool within the Sick Person and Breathing Problem protocols. For those that are not MPDS users, IAED is offering its EIDS surveillance Tool for Coronavirus, SRI, MERS and Ebola-free of charge under a limited use agreement.

Recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The CDC recommends that while involved in the direct care of patients the following PPE should be worn:

  • Single pair of disposable examination gloves
  • Disposable isolation gown
  • Respiratory protection (N95 or higher)
  • Eye Protection (goggles or disposable face shield)

EMS Transport of a Patient Under Investigation (PUI) or Patient with Confirmed COVID19

  • Notify receiving healthcare facility so appropriate precautions can be put in place
  • Discourage family and contacts from riding in transport vehicle
  • Isolate the vehicle driver from the patient compartment by closing the windows between compartments and ensuring that the vehicle ventilation system is set to the non-recirculated mode
  • Document patient care

Cleaning EMS Transport Vehicles After Transporting PUI or Patient

  • Don PPE for cleaning with disposable gown and gloves, facemask, and goggles or face shield if splashes are anticipated
  • Routine cleaning and infection procedures should follow organizational standard operating procedures
  • Use protect use products with EPA-approved emergent viral pathogens claims

Once transport is complete, organizations should notify state or local public health authorities for follow up. Additionally agencies should (if not done already) develop policies for assessing exposure risk and management of EMS personnel, report any potential exposure to the chain of command, and watch for fever or respiratory symptoms amongst staff.

Employers Responsibilities

While not specific to COVID-19, agencies should:

  • Assess current practices and policies for infection control
  • Job- or task-specific education and training
  • PPE training and supply
  • Decontamination processes and supplies

Local EMS Considerations

  • PPE supplies
  • 911 and EMD call taking activities
  • Appropriate approach to potential patients
  • Educational resources for EMS personnel
  • Interaction with local public health/healthcare systems/emergency management
  • Interaction with local fire and law enforcement
  • Considerations for local jails

Further Reading

Conclusion

The COVID19 situation constantly evolving. Agencies should defer to their local EMS authorities, Public Health departments, and the CDC for definitive guidance. Going forward, the AAA will continue to both monitor the disease and alert issues to the membership.

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