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Tag: Massachusetts

EMS Gives Life | EMT Dave and Wife Kelly Need Your Help

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in News, Press.

Dave and Kelly’s Inspiring Journey

Meet Dave Raymond, a dedicated firefighter EMT, and his wife, Kelly, who has been on a courageous four-year quest to find a kidney donor. In December 2023, a ray of hope shone through when Kelly’s uncle, though not a match for her, selflessly donated a kidney on her behalf through the National Kidney Registry’s standard voucher program. While Kelly is still waiting for the perfect match, they are one significant step closer, and Dave and Kelly are feeling blessed by this development.

A Struggle Behind the Scenes

However, behind this hopeful story lies a financial crisis. Despite Dave’s tireless efforts, working multiple jobs, having private medical insurance and Medicare for Kelly, the overwhelming burden of unpaid co-pays and uncovered balances has pushed the Raymond family into a dire financial situation. They now face the imminent threat of losing their home and only vehicle, and Kelly’s health is further compromised as they are unable to schedule specialist appointments due to unpaid balances.

“Dave is working four jobs.  We have both private health insurance and Medicare, and the medical bills still keep piling up.  I’m on daily dialysis and can’t work. There are no more hours left in the day for Dave to work.  I am worried he will lose his health and we’ll lose our home. The stress is overwhelming.”  – Kelly Raymond

The Raymond Family’s Sacrifice

Dave and his son, Christopher, share a profound commitment to saving lives as firefighter EMTs. Yet, the harsh reality is that they are unable to save Kelly on their own. The burden of mounting bills has forced them to turn to their community, and their fire service/EMS family for support.

Your Chance to Make a Difference

Now is the time for us to rally together and support these everyday heroes who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Your contribution will not only ease the financial strain on the Raymond family but also allow them to focus on what matters most – Kelly’s health and well-being.  Your donation can be the lifeline this family desperately needs.

Donate to the Raymonds

Kelly’s Medical History of Diabetes and Kidney Disease

Kelly has struggled with medical issues all her life. She has Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes which created many health complications. But one by one, Kelly has overcome and moved on, keeping an incredibly optimistic outlook. In 2013 she lost her leg to diabetes but has adapted very well. In 2020 her kidneys started shutting down rapidly and it was determined that she would need a kidney transplant to live. In the meantime, Kelly is doing dialysis 7 days a week to keep going. It is difficult, but we are grateful that dialysis buys her some time while we search for a donor. Many people have stepped up for Kelly and all but one has been found medically ineligible to donate. Unfortunatley the one approved donor had a major family crisis that put kidney donation on hold indefinitely. With the National Kidney Registry standard voucher, Kelly is now waiting patiently to be matched with a living kidney donor, which will likely happen within the year.

Will you send the Raymond Family a lifeline?

Good news…

Kelly is waiting to be matched with a living kidney donor!

The need…

The Raymond family’s financial situation is dire!

We Need to Raise $20,000

DONATE NOW
  • $5,000 will avoid repossession of their car
  • $10,000 will remove the risk of home foreclosure
  • $5,000 will cover unpaid medical bills

100% of your donation will go to the Raymond family.  EMS Gives Life is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

Donate to the Raymonds

EMS Profiles | Meet Jameson Fernandez

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in EMS Profiles.

Jameson Fernandez
Emergency Medical Technician
Cataldo Ambulance
Somerville, Massachusetts

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How did you come to be in EMS?

The light and sirens going by first caught my attention as a young child. That love only grew as I got older. I would watch and ask for all things that had to do with first responding. I loved it all, and imagined serving as police, fire or EMS when I got older. Over time during these growing years I eliminated fire and law enforcement as just not for me. EMS was the winner across the board.

I found myself at the age where I asked, ‘Self, what do you want to do?’ and, ‘What is the career of my dreams?’

The answer was EMS.

What do you love about working in EMS?

What I love about EMS is there is literally never a dull moment! Nothing day is the same, no call will ever be the same. EMS and standing orders are always evolving and trending up. We are always there when you need us.

Do you have any advice for someone considering becoming an EMT or Paramedic?

My advice is to go for it! Buckle up and enjoy one of the most rewarding career paths that can simply not be duplicated in other professions.

I recommend EMS for the skillset development. It hits such a wide variety of life lessons in just one shift. As an EMT, you’ll see the do’s and don’ts to life as a whole, and it gives you the ability to help people from the community.

You are continually educated and truly the sky is the limit in emergency medical services. Being an EMT opens so many doors in so many directions in the medical field. You can start EMS like me from fleet maintenance, where I learned about the vehicles, to a chair car, to communications and dispatch, to the road as an emergency first responder, and then on to an EMT certification. The future is full of next steps, and I’ve already done a lot. You can even get your advanced EMT, then your Paramedic then do a bridge program and go into nursing. The possibilities are endless and attainable.

Anything else you’d like to say?

EMS is the way to go. Get started!

EMS Gives Life | Help EMT Dave Find His Wife Kelly a Kidney

Written by Christine Fiechter on . Posted in News, Press.

Help Firefighter EMT Dave Find his wife Kelly a Kidney

Help Firefighter EMT Dave Raymond find a Kidney for his wife Kelly

Dave Raymond is asking you to help him save the life of his wife, Kelly! Kelly needs a kidney transplant to live. Both Dave and their son, Christopher, are firefighter EMTs. They are committed to saving people’s lives every day. The hardest thing in the world is not being able to save Kelly on their own.  Now Dave is turning to the community and his fire service/EMS family to ask for help.

A Message from Dave Raymond

My name is Dave Raymond and my lovely wife is Kelly. I’m a Lieutenant on the Hamilton (MA) Fire Department and an EMT/ESO Manager for Cataldo Ambulance. Kelly and I have been married for 27 years and are proud parents of a son, Christopher, who is also a firefighter EMT for Hamilton Fire. Our family has a strong history of community involvement and a dedication to helping others. We are blessed with a great family and friends who are of tremendous support. Like all families, we have had obstacles to overcome and we’ve always figured it out. When Kelly’s kidneys started to fail and she was placed on the transplant waiting list in 2020, I really thought I would be her donor and everything would be okay. I have since learned that I’m not medically eligible to be a kidney donor. I never thought I would be asking for this type of help from friends, acquaintances, and even strangers, but here I am, asking for someone to be a kidney donor for my wife, Kelly. I need help to save her!

Kelly’s Medical History of Diabetes and Kidney Disease

Kelly has struggled with medical issues all her life. She has Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes which created many health complications. But one by one, Kelly has overcome and moved on, keeping an incredibly optimistic outlook. In 2013 she lost her leg to diabetes but has adapted very well. In 2020 her kidneys started shutting down rapidly and it was determined that she would need a kidney transplant to live. In the meantime, Kelly is doing dialysis 7 days a week to keep going. It is difficult, but we are grateful that dialysis buys her some time while we search for a donor. Many people have stepped up for Kelly and all but one has been found medically ineligible to donate. Unfortunatley the one approved donor had a major family crisis that put kidney donation on hold indefinitely. We are continuing to fight for Kelly and we know that someone will see our story and volunteer to help. When you and your family are used to helping others, it is the hardest thing to do to ask for help – but I’m asking.

“I want my mom to feel better and live without constant sickness.”

– Christopher Raymond, son, Firefighter EMT

Becoming a Kidney Donor for Kelly

This is the most important thing to know – you do not need to be a match to be a kidney donor for Kelly! If you are healthy enough to be a kidney donor, you can donate on Kelly’s behalf. Through the National Kidney Registry’s standard voucher program, you can donate a kidney to someone who is the best match to you. And because of your donation, you can give Kelly a voucher that will take her from the 100,000-person national waiting list to a National Kidney Registry living donor list. They will find her a match typically in months, instead of years. But she is only eligible for the living donor list if someone donates a kidney on her behalf. That’s why we need you.

Important Information for Potential Donors

  • Kelly is a patient at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston which is a National Kidney Registry (NKR) member center.
  • You do not need to be a match to be a kidney donor for Kelly. If you are healthy and eligible to donate a kidney, your donation can provide Kelly with a voucher that prioritizes her for a kidney donation that is her best match.
  • You do not need to come to Boston to donate a kidney on Kelly’s behalf. You can be evaluated and donate through any of the National Kidney Registry’s 100 member centers nationwide.
  • One healthy kidney can do the work of two and donors can live a full, healthy life with only one kidney. Kidney transplant surgery is very safe with a short hospital stay and fairly quick recovery times.
  • There is no financial burden for donors. Kelly’s insurance pays for all medical testing, evaluation, and surgery. NKR’s Donor Shield program provides reimbursement for lost wages, travel, and lodging.
  • There are supports and protections available for living donors as well as mentoring by someone who has been a living kidney donor. In the unlikely event that a kidney donor needs a kidney transplant in the future, they will be prioritized on the living donor list.
  • EMS Gives Life will provide support to potential donors, from considering donation through the donation process.
  • There is no commitment to learn more.
  • All inquiries are held in complete confidence by EMS Gives Life.

Would you consider being Kelly’s kidney donor?

Good news…

You don’t need to be an exact match to be a donor for Kelly!

If you’re healthy enough to donate a kidney, you can be a donor on Kelly’s behalf!

  • You can do testing, evaluation, and surgery at a hospital close to home and on your schedule.
  • You will get cost reimbursement for lost wages, travel, and lodging.
  • You will be prioritized for a kidney donation in the unlikely event that you need a kidney transplant in the future.
  • You can receive mentoring from a living kidney donor.

The National Kidney Registry’s Donor Shield and the National Kidney Donation Organization provide resources and supports to living kidney donors. And EMS Gives Life will be with you, every step of the way!

Sign Up to be a Kidney Donor for Kelly

Take the first step to start the screening process and request a mentor.  There is no commitment to exploring the idea of being a kidney donor.

Click here

Learn More about Kidney Donation

Click here to learn more about living kidney donation, donor resources, and best practice approaches to donating your kidney to a specific recipient.

EMS Gives Life | Help EMT Dave Find His Wife Kelly a Kidney

Written by Christine Fiechter on . Posted in News, Press.

Help Firefighter EMT Dave Find his wife Kelly a Kidney

Help Firefighter EMT Dave Raymond find a Kidney for his wife Kelly

Dave Raymond is asking you to help him save the life of his wife, Kelly! Kelly needs a kidney transplant to live. Both Dave and their son, Christopher, are firefighter EMTs. They are committed to saving people’s lives every day. The hardest thing in the world is not being able to save Kelly on their own.  Now Dave is turning to the community and his fire service/EMS family to ask for help.

A Message from Dave Raymond

My name is Dave Raymond and my lovely wife is Kelly. I’m a Lieutenant on the Hamilton (MA) Fire Department and an EMT/ESO Manager for Cataldo Ambulance. Kelly and I have been married for 27 years and are proud parents of a son, Christopher, who is also a firefighter EMT for Hamilton Fire. Our family has a strong history of community involvement and a dedication to helping others. We are blessed with a great family and friends who are of tremendous support. Like all families, we have had obstacles to overcome and we’ve always figured it out. When Kelly’s kidneys started to fail and she was placed on the transplant waiting list in 2020, I really thought I would be her donor and everything would be okay. I have since learned that I’m not medically eligible to be a kidney donor. I never thought I would be asking for this type of help from friends, acquaintances, and even strangers, but here I am, asking for someone to be a kidney donor for my wife, Kelly. I need help to save her!

Kelly’s Medical History of Diabetes and Kidney Disease

Kelly has struggled with medical issues all her life. She has Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes which created many health complications. But one by one, Kelly has overcome and moved on, keeping an incredibly optimistic outlook. In 2013 she lost her leg to diabetes but has adapted very well. In 2020 her kidneys started shutting down rapidly and it was determined that she would need a kidney transplant to live. In the meantime, Kelly is doing dialysis 7 days a week to keep going. It is difficult, but we are grateful that dialysis buys her some time while we search for a donor. Many people have stepped up for Kelly and all but one has been found medically ineligible to donate. Unfortunatley the one approved donor had a major family crisis that put kidney donation on hold indefinitely. We are continuing to fight for Kelly and we know that someone will see our story and volunteer to help. When you and your family are used to helping others, it is the hardest thing to do to ask for help – but I’m asking.

“I want my mom to feel better and live without constant sickness.”

– Christopher Raymond, son, Firefighter EMT

Becoming a Kidney Donor for Kelly

This is the most important thing to know – you do not need to be a match to be a kidney donor for Kelly! If you are healthy enough to be a kidney donor, you can donate on Kelly’s behalf. Through the National Kidney Registry’s standard voucher program, you can donate a kidney to someone who is the best match to you. And because of your donation, you can give Kelly a voucher that will take her from the 100,000-person national waiting list to a National Kidney Registry living donor list. They will find her a match typically in months, instead of years. But she is only eligible for the living donor list if someone donates a kidney on her behalf. That’s why we need you.

Important Information for Potential Donors

  • Kelly is a patient at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston which is a National Kidney Registry (NKR) member center.
  • You do not need to be a match to be a kidney donor for Kelly. If you are healthy and eligible to donate a kidney, your donation can provide Kelly with a voucher that prioritizes her for a kidney donation that is her best match.
  • You do not need to come to Boston to donate a kidney on Kelly’s behalf. You can be evaluated and donate through any of the National Kidney Registry’s 100 member centers nationwide.
  • One healthy kidney can do the work of two and donors can live a full, healthy life with only one kidney. Kidney transplant surgery is very safe with a short hospital stay and fairly quick recovery times.
  • There is no financial burden for donors. Kelly’s insurance pays for all medical testing, evaluation, and surgery. NKR’s Donor Shield program provides reimbursement for lost wages, travel, and lodging.
  • There are supports and protections available for living donors as well as mentoring by someone who has been a living kidney donor. In the unlikely event that a kidney donor needs a kidney transplant in the future, they will be prioritized on the living donor list.
  • EMS Gives Life will provide support to potential donors, from considering donation through the donation process.
  • There is no commitment to learn more.
  • All inquiries are held in complete confidence by EMS Gives Life.

Would you consider being Kelly’s kidney donor?

Good news…

You don’t need to be an exact match to be a donor for Kelly!

If you’re healthy enough to donate a kidney, you can be a donor on Kelly’s behalf!

  • You can do testing, evaluation, and surgery at a hospital close to home and on your schedule.
  • You will get cost reimbursement for lost wages, travel, and lodging.
  • You will be prioritized for a kidney donation in the unlikely event that you need a kidney transplant in the future.
  • You can receive mentoring from a living kidney donor.

The National Kidney Registry’s Donor Shield and the National Kidney Donation Organization provide resources and supports to living kidney donors. And EMS Gives Life will be with you, every step of the way!

Sign Up to be a Kidney Donor for Kelly

Take the first step to start the screening process and request a mentor.  There is no commitment to exploring the idea of being a kidney donor.

Click here

Learn More about Kidney Donation

Click here to learn more about living kidney donation, donor resources, and best practice approaches to donating your kidney to a specific recipient.

In Memory of Larry Stone

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

From The Boston Globe

STONE, Lawrence W. “Larry” Founder and President of PRO EMS Ambulance of Cambridge Passed away at Massachusetts General Hospital on October 9th. He was 75. Raised in Somerville, he was the son of the late John and Frances (Nichols) Stone. Larry served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Upon his return from the war, Larry embarked on a long career in public safety and medical service, founding Professional Ambulance & Oxygen Service in 1969. Today, PRO EMS continues to proudly service the City of Cambridge and surrounding areas. During his years as President of the company he oversaw its steady expansion and navigated the increasing scope of services that emergency medicine provided. He was a leader in the development of inter-agency response to mass casualty events and could always be relied upon in the public safety community for rendering sound advice, born from the breath and length of his experience. Known as “225” to his colleagues and friends, Larry continued to be the driving force and conscience of his company. He has been featured in articles of the Journal of Emergency Medical Services and the Boston Globe. Larry was active in professional associations and civic affairs. He was a long time member and Past Commander of Cambridge VFW Post 299. The beloved husband of Catherine A. “Cathy” (Leonard) Stone, Larry was a devoted father to Teresa Cruz and her husband Edwin of Burlington, Danielle Santiago and her husband Javier of Billerica, and Kelly Stone-Pantojas and her husband Alex “Big Al” of Burlington. He was a loving Papa to Anthony, Ariana, Victoria, Xavier and Sofia. He was the brother of Francis, Jean, John, Sandra and Norman. He also leaves many nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to visit at the Dello Russo Funeral Home on Thursday, October 14th from 4 through 8 PM and again on Friday at 10 AM followed by a funeral Mass celebrated in St. John the Evangelist Church, 2270 Mass. Ave., Cambridge at 11 AM. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent in Larry’s name to the Vietnam Veterans of America, 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. To leave a message of condolence, visit www.dellorusso.net

View the online memorial for Lawrence W. “Larry” STONE

Massachusetts | Convoy of Champions

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in Digest State News, News, Press.

A parade of more than 50 ambulances, representing more than 20,000 paramedics, EMTs, and 911 dispatchers, traveled from UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts to the warning track inside Fenway Park on Wednesday, May 20. The Boston Red Sox, Mayor Marty Walsh, state officials, and healthcare professionals joined the Massachusetts Ambulance Association, the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, and municipal ambulance providers in celebrating these front line heroes during National EMS Week.

Once inside the park, the EMS professionals were greeted by video tributes from dignitaries and celebrities and a select number of live speakers following safe social distancing guidelines.

The event takes on even greater significance this year because of the unprecedented response to the COVID-19 crisis from EMS professionals and their colleagues across the state’s medical community.

The Commonwealth’s EMS professionals have been crucial in responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Massachusetts has been among the nation’s hardest-hit states, experiencing the third most deaths and fourth-most cases of the novel coronavirus.

During the current public health crisis, EMS professionals have helped manage testing and treatment for homebound patients and provided supplemental support for hospitals and neighborhood health centers, in addition to its duties in responding to daily emergencies.

Watch the Facebook Live Video

Thank you to everyone who participated in yesterday’s #ConvoyofChampions parade in celebration of #EMS! The event was a…

Posted by Massachusetts Ambulance Association on Thursday, May 21, 2020

2015 Medicare Data Shows Evident of Crackdown on Non-Emergency Transport

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicaid, Medicare, Reimbursement, Talking Medicare.

2015 Medicare Payment Data Offers Evidence of Nationwide Crackdown on Non-Emergency Ground Ambulance Transportation; Impact Varies Dramatically by Medicare Administrative Contractor

Every year, CMS releases data on aggregate Medicare payments for the preceding year. This file is referred to as the Physician/Supplier Procedure Master File (PSP Master File). This past month, CMS released the 2016 PSP Master File, which contains information on all Part B and DME claims processed through the Medicare Common Working File with 2015 dates of service.

In September’s blog post, I discussed the results of the first year of the prior authorization demonstration project for repetitive, scheduled non-emergency ground ambulance transports. During this first year, the project was limited to three states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. The data confirms that these three states saw a dramatic reduction in Medicare’s approved payments for dialysis transports.

This month, I will be discussing the national payment trends for non-emergency ground ambulance transports, and, in particular, Basic Life Support non-emergencies.

In 2015, Medicare paid approximately $990 million for BLS non-emergency transports. This is 13% less than what it paid for BLS non-emergency transports in 2014 ($1.14 billion). Please note that these figures only reflect payments for the base rate; when the payments for the associated mileage are included, the reduction is even more dramatic.

In actual terms, this means Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) approved nearly 1 million fewer BLS non-emergency transports in 2015 (5.86 million) than they approved in 2014 (6.81 million). Roughly 75% of this reduction can be directly attributed to the prior authorization program in the three states listed above. Note: the reduction in approved dialysis transports in New Jersey accounts for nearly half of the national decline). However, that leaves nearly 250,000 fewer approved transports in the remaining 47 states. This reduction was not the result of fewer claims being submitted in 2015; the number of submitted claims was actually higher in 2015 than 2014. Rather, the data shows that this reduction is the result of the MACs actively denying many more claims than in year’s past.

I believe these reductions are the direct result of a step-up in the enforcement activities of the MACs, which I also believe has the tacit, if not outright, approval of CMS.

To test this thesis, I looked at the state-by-state data to see if any trends could be found. What I found was that 28 states saw increases in the total number of approved BLS non-emergency transports in 2015, with 19 states seeing decreases. However, on its face, that number is somewhat deceiving. The states that saw increases tended: (1) to see either relatively small increases or (2) had relatively low utilization rates to begin with. The states that saw decreases tended to be larger states with higher utilization rates, and those decreases tended to be larger in percentage terms. For instance, California saw a 21.5% decrease in the number of approved BLS non-emergency transports. Ohio saw an 11.7% decrease.

Digging deeper, it becomes clear that a state’s overall change in payments for BLS non-emergencies is almost perfectly correlated with its change in payments for dialysis transports. In other words, to the extent the state saw an overall reduction in payments for BLS non-emergencies, that reduction – – in nearly all cases – – was the result of the total payments for dialysis decreasing by more than any offsetting increase in the total payments for non-dialysis transports.

These relative changes in dialysis were also highly correlated with the MAC that administers Medicare claims in that state. To the extent your state saw a reduction in dialysis payments, it is highly likely that neighboring states administered by the same MAC saw similar reductions in payments. The following charts will help illustrate this point:

2016-11-29-werfel-non-emergency-crackdown-chart-1As you can see, all three states within Cahaba’s jurisdiction saw a net increase in the total payments for dialysis. While the increases themselves were quite minor in Alabama and Tennessee, Georgia saw an 11.8% increase in total payments for dialysis. Similarly, both Florida and Puerto Rico saw significant increases in the approved payments for dialysis.

By contrast, every state in National Government Services’ (NGS’) jurisdiction with more than 1,000 paid dialysis transports in 2015 saw a net reduction in the total payments for dialysis. These reductions ranged from a relatively minor reduction of 1.17% in New York to a nearly two-thirds (64.58%) reduction in Minnesota.

2016-11-29-werfel-non-emergency-crackdown-chart-2This trend was present in all remaining jurisdictions, although the results were more mixed. For example, with the exception of South Carolina, the three remaining states administered by Palmetto all saw increases. Likewise, the majority of states administered by WPS saw decreases. This included Indiana, which has a sizeable dialysis population. Among WPS states, only Missouri saw a small (3.90%) increase.

California saw a 31.76% decrease in its payments for dialysis. The only other Noridian states with more than 1,000 paid dialysis trips were Hawaii and Washington, which both saw increases.

Novitas presents a more complicated picture, with several large states, such as Texas, seeing double-digit increases in payments for dialysis, while other large states saw sizeable decreases.

All in all, the data suggests that CMS and its contractors continue to pay close attention to the non-emergency side of our business, particularly BLS non-emergency transports. These transports have been under scrutiny for many years, as reports from the Office of Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office and other federal agencies have flagged this portion of our industry as being particularly prone to overutilization (and, in some cases, outright fraud).  However, this heightened scrutiny is not being uniformly applied across-the-board. The data suggests that certain MACs have been far more aggressive in targeting these sorts of trips across their entire jurisdictions, while others seem content to target specific (typically large) states within their jurisdictions. This could serve as a template for how MACs will approach prior authorization in their jurisdictions.

‘Praemonitus, Praemunitus’     

Latin Proverb, loosely translated to “forewarned is forearmed.”

 

 

Cataldo Ambulance’s Ron Quaranto on Mobile Integrated Health

Written by Ron Quaranto on . Posted in Operations, Patient Care, Reimbursement.

As a current mobile integrated health provider, we recognize the values of an MIH program which most importantly provides quality patient care to those in need, often in the comfort of their own homes. This is often done under the direction of the patient’s primary care physician in conjunction with the patient’s healthcare team. This allows for the patient to maintain their quality of life while receiving the medical attention they need—and ultimately reducing the healthcare expenses of hospitalization.

Ron Quaranto
COO, Cataldo Ambulance Service

Spotlight: Sean Kukauskas

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in Spotlight.

Sean Kukauskas
Boston, MA, USA
Director of Ambulance Services, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Member, AAA Education & Membership Committee

Tell us a little about yourself, please.

I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I have three children, two boys and a daughter. My oldest son, Tyler (20 years old), is in the U.S. Army stationed at Ft. Bliss in Texas. My daughter, Kaylin (19 years old), is a college student, and my youngest son, Sean, is 14 and will be a high school freshman this fall. I am an avid long distance runner. I recently completed my first marathon earlier this year, the 2015 Boston Marathon.

How did you come to work in the industry? How long have you been involved?

Kukauskas, Sean - Spaulding - 2015.07.15 - FamilyAfter high school I joined the U.S. Navy as a mechanical calibration technician for nuclear powered submarines. After getting out of the service, I eventually found myself looking for a solid career. I always had an interest in medicine, so a friend of mine who was an EMT helped me get into EMT school. I have been involved in EMS since then, eventually earning my certification as a Paramedic. I just celebrated my 23rd year in EMS.

I spent the majority of my career working for private fire-based and hospital-based EMS services as a field provider and educator. I have spent the past four years as the Director of Ambulance Services for the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Spaulding Hospital Ambulance Service is one of the largest hospital based services in Massachusetts. We have 17 vehicles that provide over 16,000 ALS, BLS, and chair car transports annually. Our primary focus is the non-emergent interfacility transportation of patients between the four hospital within the Spaulding Network and our affiliated acute care hospitals.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

As cliché as it sounds, I enjoy making a difference. Whether it is to my patients or for my staff. I like the ever changing envrionment of EMS. Each call, each day, is something new.

What is your biggest professional challenge?

Trying to find that right balance of service and performance while maximizing revenue. At the same time employee engagement and retention are just as importand and challenging.

What is your typical day like?

My typical day starts early to face commuter traffic coming into Boston. Once in my office, I will review the stats from the previous day, respond to emails as needed, and work on the tasks for the day—whatever they may be at that time. I may jump on a truck for the day or for a call. Meetings and then more meetings. At some point during the day I try and get a training run in. Usually I try to finish up some light work at home later in the evening.

How has participation in AAA membership and advocacy helped your organization?

I have found the networking to be invaluable. Chances are someone in in the AAA has encountered a similar situation or issue before. Having a network of colleagues from across the country gives you an avenue to discuss what has worked and what hasn’t.

The AAA helps me grow and improve my department with fresh ideas. The education offerings, the networking opportunities, and reimbursement advocacy all help strengthen our profession. I have been a member of the Education and Membership Committee for the AAA for about two years. I really enjoy working with the other committee members to find and develop new and creative ways to improve the AAA Annual Conference and Tradeshow as well as exploring new opportunities for our members.

Spotlight: Scott Moore

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in Spotlight.

Scott Moore
Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
Scott’s LinkedIn Profile
Director of Human Resources at Cataldo Ambulance Service
Co-Chair, Education & Membership Committee at AAA

Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up twenty minutes north of Boston, MA. I have a wife, Marianne, and two daughters, Emily (9), and Elise (7). I have been in EMS for 25 years and have worked as a Call Fire-Fighter in my town for the last 10. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School.

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