Tag: New York

2023 State Association Leadership Excellence Conference

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Events, State Association Leadership Excellence.

Learn More & Register Now!

Thursday, September 7, 2023 | 8:30am–4:00pm Eastern

Join fellow state-level ambulance and EMS association leaders for a day of networking and idea exchange at the inaugural State Association Leadership Excellence Conference! Share challenges, successes, and innovations with mobile healthcare leaders from across the country.

American Ambulance Association
State Association Leadership Excellence (SALE) Conference
September 7, 2023 | 8:30–16:00 ET
Niagara Falls USA Convention Center

Topics

Together, we will explore tactics for growing the reach and voice of your state association.

  • Advocacy Impact: Grassroots & Grasstops Engagement Case Studies
  • Medicaid Strategies (rate increases, crossovers)
  • Commercial Insurance Initiatives (balance billing, direct pay)
  • Medicaid Finance Initiatives (UPL / CPE / GEMT / Provider Assessments)
  • Workforce Shortage Strategies
  • Association Governance Tune-Up
  • Free and Cheap Tools to Enhance Your Branding & Reach
  • More! Full agenda coming soon.

Venue & Meals

Niagara Falls USA Convention Center
101 Old Falls Street
Niagara Falls, NY 14303

Continental breakfast, beverages, snacks, and lunch at the Convention Center are included in your registration fee.

Register Now!

NBC | Covid package, federal program offer lifeline and herald change for ambulances services

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

March 18, 2021, 3:54 PM EDT

Features Empress EMS and REMSA!

By Phil McCausland
During the height of the pandemic, a quiet financial crisis was brewing for ambulance companies.

As hospitals became overwhelmed and patients begged not to be taken to crowded emergency rooms for fear of potential infection, paramedics and emergency medical technicians began treating patients where they met them — outside homes, alongside roadways, in parking lots.

The trouble is that ambulance companies are only paid to transport people, not for treating them.

Now, an aid package in the American Rescue Plan and a new federal health care program could provide a financial lifeline for ambulance companies and herald a permanent shift in emergency medicine as a whole.

The attempt to reimburse ambulance companies began with a bill introduced by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., but the legislation was ultimately rolled into the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill. Cortez Masto voted for the plan, and Cassidy did not.

“Our first responders have gone above and beyond in caring for patients during the pandemic, and it’s just wrong that ambulance companies weren’t getting paid unless they took patients to the hospital,” Cortez Masto said.

Continue Reading

Congratulations, Senator Schumer!

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Government Affairs, Legislative.

Congratulations to Senator Chuck Schumer, who will now serve as Majority Leader.

Congratulations to Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, who will now serve as Majority Leader. Senator Chuck Schumer D-NY'…

Posted by American Ambulance Association on Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Monroe Ambulance In 2020

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Yearbook.


Monroe Ambulance
Rochester, New York

Founded in 1975 by Eileen Coyle, Monroe Ambulance has entered its 45th year of dedicated service to the greater Rochester community. The family-owned and operated organization with headquarters in the City of Rochester, from which they provide all levels of ambulance service to Monroe, Wyoming, and Orleans Counties. Their providers, along with their clinical leadership and utilization of advanced medical technology has resulted in Monroe Ambulance becoming one of New York’s most admired and trusted pre-hospital care providers.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, alongside our brothers and sisters in the New York EMS community at the epicenter of the crisis, Monroe Ambulance supported the needs of Rochester and surrounding communities ensuring each call for service was answered. Responding to the continued trend of diminishing numbers of new EMS providers into the system (despite an increase in the need for EMS), Monroe leveraged its agility to develop and deliver virtual EMT classes in an effort to ensure our communities will be served regardless of the challenge posed with another wave of the pandemic. As the current Chair of UNYAN and Monroe Ambulance’s CEO and President, Thomas Coyle maintained his involvement with UNYAN despite the increased pressure and demand for his time preparing and responding to local effects of the crisis. He led the organization in a push for legislation to recognize and address the needs of EMS for the entire state, and the voice was heard.

Visit our website: https://www.monroeambulance.com.

United New York Ambulance Network In 2020

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Yearbook.


United New York Ambulance Network
Albany, New York

The United New York Ambulance Network (UNYAN) is comprised of small and large commercial ambulance providers. Founded in 1996, UNYAN advocates for quality patient care and helps lead the industry toward providing reliable, cost-effective approaches to high quality medical and emergency transportation services. UNYAN members provide safe, reliable, and timely ambulance services in 22 of New York’s top 25 cities and serve millions of New Yorkers 24/7/365.

As one of the hardest and earliest hit states by the COVID-19 pandemic, UNYAN members have stepped up to support New Yorkers and help alleviate the strain on the state’s healthcare system. Our members operate in urban, suburban, and rural communities and they have gone above and beyond to help their neighbors, protect communities, and reduce the burden on hospitals through innovative treat and release practices. Our members are essential for New York’s recovery. We couldn’t be prouder of their resilience and dedication to our patients during these challenging times. To learn more about what we our members have done during the pandemic, visit us on Facebook and on Twitter @NYAmbulances.

Visit our website: http://www.unyan.net

NBC | Ambulance companies at ‘a breaking point’ after receiving little Covid aid

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Operations, Patient Care, Press.

From NBC News by Phil McCausland on December 1, 2020

Stefan Hofer’s ambulance company, West Traill EMS, in Mayville, North Dakota, has received only one or two calls that weren’t related to Covid-19 over the past two months. But he said the case count has ballooned by 20 to 30 percent because of the pandemic. At the same time, the company’s expenses have mounted, its revenue has cratered and its workforce is being decimated by the virus.

The company — which is private and supported by volunteers, a few employees and four trucks — covers more than 1,500 miles of North Dakota prairie and serves about 10,000 people on the far east side of the state.

Private EMS services, both in urban and rural centers across the country, collectively received $350 million in Covid-19 relief funds in April, but those companies said that money ran out within weeks. Months later, the need remains great as they face another coronavirus surge.

Continue Reading

NYT | Family Decontamination Station

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

From the New York Times

Their Pandemic Safety Plan Starts With a ‘Decontamination Station’
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives of many American families. Follow this weekly feature called “Family, Interrupted” to find out how.

Quentin and Stacy Blakley opened the “decontamination station” in their home garage as the coronavirus pandemic took root in Georgia in March and have never shut it down. Mr. Blakley, 45, an Atlanta firefighter based at the city’s international airport, uses it to protect his family from a job that exposes him to strangers daily. At the end of each 24-hour shift attending to aircraft emergencies and medical calls, he returns to his South Fulton, Ga., home and removes his uniform in the garage. No exceptions. He showers away from Stacy, 45, and their four sons — ages 14, 12 and a set of 9-year-old twins — then dumps his clothing in a bag to be washed. Finally, Mr. Blakley walks into his house.

Continue Reading

JEMS | FDNY EMS & Fire Fatalities Jan-Aug 2020

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

From JEMS on November 19, 2020

Occupational Fatalities Among EMS Clinicians and Firefighters in the New York City Fire Department; January to August 2020

By Brian J Maguire, Dr.PH, MSA, EMT-P, Barbara J. O’Neill, PhD, RN, Daniel R. Gerard, MS, RN, NREMT-P, Paul Maniscalco, PhD(c), MPA, MS, EMT/P, LP, Scot Phelps, JD, MPH and Kathleen A. Handal, MD | 

On October 6, 2020, the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) conducted a memorial service for department members who had recently died. It was a somber ceremony for the many fallen personnel. The ceremony was very inclusive and noted the passing of emergency responders, FDNY civilians and mechanics as well as a paramedic who had come to NYC on a FEMA deployment to assist during the pandemic.1 The information on the notice also provided an opportunity for a preliminary agency-level epidemiology analyses to develop a better understanding of the risks faced by FDNY personnel in 2020.

Bloomberg | NYC Mental Health Responders in Place of Police

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

From Bloomberg CityLab

NYC Pilot Tries Mental Health Responders in Place of Police

New York City plans to test out a program where dispatchers send out emergency medical services and mental health crisis workers, instead of police officers, to mental health-related calls, making it the latest city to attempt a pivot away from policing as a cure-all.

The city’s mental health teams will work in two high-need communities starting in February. They will include health professionals and crisis workers from the fire department’s emergency medical services division. They will respond in place of the traditional police and paramedic teams, except in cases that involve a weapon or imminent danger, according to a statement from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office this week.

Continue Reading►

JEMS | How Empress EMS (NY) Responded to COVID-19 in the Pandemic’s Epicenter

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Operations, Patient Care, Press.

From JEMS on October 2, 2020 | By Hanan Cohen

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created extraordinary new challenges for the emergency medical services (EMS) industry. Frequently shifting state and federal guidance and emerging information about the novel virus has required EMS agencies to be even more nimble in delivering care.

This is true for Empress EMS, a PatientCare EMS Solutions company, which serves New Rochelle, New York – the first epicenter of America’s COVID-19 pandemic. Empress first began monitoring for COVID-19 on February 15, 2020, as it recognized the New York City area’s high risk for the virus.

Continue Reading►

NYC emergency medical workers prepare for layoffs

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Digest State News, Human Resources, Labor Relations, News, Press.

From NBC News

The head of New York City’s emergency medical services union said Wednesday that the city is preparing to lay off hundreds of its members as the budget crisis grows during the coronavirus pandemic.

Oren Barzilay, president of FDNY EMS Local 257, blamed Mayor Bill de Blasio and his administration for the expected fallout.

Continue reading►

CBS | EMTs Are Quitting Their Jobs

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press, Recruitment & Retention.

From CBS News | “Emergency medical technicians are quitting their jobs — COVID-19 makes it too dangerous”

Rather than expose himself to a stream of infected patients in Queens, Baer opted to retire last month, ending his career at least a full year earlier than he’d planned. That disqualified him from collecting his full pension, and Baer estimates he gave up between $2,000 and $4,000 a year in retirement benefits — a decision he doesn’t regret.

Continue Reading►

NBC | ‘End of life as we know it’

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

From Yahoo / NBC News on July 27, 2020

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in New York, emergency medical services Capt. AJ Briones’ teams were fielding nearly 700 calls a day, tending to numerous patients going into cardiac arrest, many others needing intubations and seeing more deaths than they ever intended to see.

“We didn’t know that would be the end of life as we know it,” Briones, 32, who works for Empress Emergency Medical Services in Yonkers, Westchester County, said. “It literally shut down the whole world.”

Now with cases down in the state, his EMS teams can sometimes catch their breath for a moment. But with cases rising rapidly around the country, Briones reflected on the virus’ devastating toll, how far New York has come and his concerns about a possible second wave in the state.

Continue Reading►

JAMA | COVID-19 Medical Leave for EMS in NYC

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Benefits, Human Resources, News, Operations, Press, Wages & Timekeeping.

From JAMA Network Open

Medical Leave Associated With COVID-19 Among Emergency Medical System Responders and Firefighters in New York City

In New York, New York, from March 1 to May 31, 2020, 201 102 individuals were diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), resulting in 51 085 hospitalizations and 16 834 deaths.1 The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), the largest in the US, responds to nearly 1.5 million emergency medical calls per year in a city of more than 8.4 million people. Active paid FDNY responders include 4408 emergency medical service (EMS) responders and 11 230 firefighters. These FDNY responders are required to don personal protective equipment before patient contact per US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.2 In this cohort study, we compared medical leave of FDNY responders during the pandemic with prior years.

Continue Reading

Citation

Prezant DJ, Zeig-Owens R, Schwartz T, et al. Medical Leave Associated With COVID-19 Among Emergency Medical System Responders and Firefighters in New York City. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(7):e2016094. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.16094

NY | Mohawk Named REMO’s EMS Agency of the Year

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

From EMS World on July 24

Mohawk Ambulance Service has been announced as the recipient of this year’s regional EMS Agency of the Year Award given by the Regional Emergency Medical Organization (REMO). Additionally, Edward Marchand, a member of Mohawk’s Training Center staff, was named as the recipient of this year’s Educator of Excellence award and Dr. Heidi Cordi, Mohawk’s Medical Director, received the Physician of Excellence Award.

Continue Reading

Bloomberg | Hospitals Are Counting Beds Again With Virus Cases

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

From Bloomberg Law on June 24, 2020

With all states reopened to some degree, cases and hospitalizations are rising. Arizona, California and Texas all set records for new cases on Tuesday. The question now is whether hospitals will be able to handle it, and what will happen if they can’t. “Many of them still have a lot of available capacity, but who knows how long that’s going to last,” said Eric Toner, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “They should be getting themselves ready now.”

Continue Reading

WP | ‘Heroes, Right?’ Paramedic Perspective on COVID-19

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

From the Washington Post on June 21, 2020, as told to Eli Saslow.

Nobody wants to know about what I do. People might pay us lip service and say we’re heroes, but our stories aren’t the kind anyone actually wants to hear about. Kids in this country grow up with toy firetrucks, or maybe playing cops and robbers, but who dreams of becoming a paramedic? That’s ambulances. That’s death and vulnerability — the scary stuff. We’re taught in this culture to shun illness like it’s something shameful. We’d rather pretend everything’s fine. We look the other way.

Continue Reading

WP | A Long Road Home

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

New York EMS Captain Hugo Sosa survived the ICU. But for coronavirus patients like him, that’s just the start of recovery.

Hugo Sosa arrived here a hero, triumphant over the worst that covid-19 can inflict on the human body. Nearly 100 of his fellow first responders whooped and cheered as Sosa was wheeled out of a hospital last month. They chanted his name. He flashed them a thumbs-up from his gurney.

Twelve days later, frail and drawn in his room at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, Sosa puzzled over a pile of coins his speech pathologist had set before him.

“Forty-five cents from a dollar, what do you get back?” Kristen Lucke asked.

“Fifty-five cents,” Sosa responded quickly.

“Good, show me 55 cents.”

That was more difficult. Sosa would have to hold the number in his head while he searched for the right coins. Today that was too much to ask. Perhaps tomorrow.

Read Hugo’s story by Lenny Bernstein in the Washington Post►

AMERICAN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION
PO Box 96503 #72319
Washington, DC 20090-6503
hello@ambulance.org
NEW! Submit a Support Ticket

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Email hello@ambulance.org to open a support ticket for friendly assistance!

MEDIA INQUIRIES

media@ambulance.org
(Press only, please.)