NAEMT Forms EMS Preparedness and EMS Data Committees

Committees are the “engines of progress” at NAEMT. Established by NAEMT’s Board of Directors, 17 committees focus on specific issues, and assist in carrying out the mission of the association. Two new committees were recently formed to address the increased need for EMS preparedness and EMS data.

EMS Preparedness Committee

Whether it’s natural disasters like Superstorm Sandy, terrorist events like the Boston Marathon bombings, or infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola or H1N1, EMS is integral to our nation’s response. Yet, it’s widely known that when it comes to preparedness discussions at the federal level, EMS isn’t included as often as it should be. Likewise, EMS lacks a dedicated federal funding stream to help support the training, equipment and planning needed to enable EMS to protect the public and its own workforce.

To ensure EMS is a part of the process for planning and preparing for mass casualty events and other threats, NAEMT formed an EMS Preparedness Committee. The committee will advise the NAEMT Board of Directors on ways to strengthen the role of EMS in our nation’s emergency preparedness strategy and response activities. The committee will:

• Identify national gaps in EMS preparedness protocols and training, and recommend measures to address these gaps;
• Identify ways to improve integration of EMS in disaster preparedness planning, communications and interoperability;
• Identify funding sources to support agency preparedness activities; and
• Increase understanding of the EMS role within the larger preparedness community.

“When EMS agencies around the country lack the resources required to meet daily response demands, investing additional resources to respond to a public health emergency is enormously challenging,” according to written testimony submitted by NAEMT to the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the U.S. government response to the Ebola outbreak. “There is no dedicated federal funding stream for EMS to turn to in order to ensure that EMS agencies and our practitioners are fully prepared to respond safely to public health emergencies.”

EMS Data Committee

Demands for EMS data are stretching farther and wider than ever before. This is largely due to the spread of electronic patient care reports and health records, as well as the increasing integration of EMS with hospitals and the overall health system. Until recently, if EMS agencies collected performance data, it typically related to resource deployment and response times. Response times are still an important performance measure, but many EMS agencies are beginning to think more broadly about data collection, particularly as it relates to patient care.

Using electronic patient care reporting (ePCR) software developed to improve patient care and operational performance, EMS agencies can collect and analyze data to answer questions about the value of the patient care they provide. Data is the only way for hospitals, physicians or EMS to show they’re delivering value-based care, and that the interventions and treatments provided make a difference for patients.

Today, EMS is reimbursed on a fee-for-service model, based on transports to the hospital. But many EMS leaders believe that’s destined to change soon. Widespread changes in reimbursement policy are already underway as a result of changes in healthcare laws, and it’s only a matter of time before EMS is also expected to have the data to prove its value to the healthcare system. To help prepare our profession for a data-driven future, NAEMT has established a new EMS Data Committee. The committee will:

• Provide guidance on healthcare data and information issues that impact EMS and MIH-CP, including performance measures for clinical, operational, financial and patient outcomes; NEMSIS data standards—version 3, critical care, air transport and MIH-CP modules; and healthcare IT integration with EMS—meaningful use, HL7 and HITECH requirements/updates;
• Ensure that the perspective of EMS practitioners is included in the development of policies governing the collection and analysis of information and data; and
• Identify and/or develop informational and educational resources to help EMS practitioners and agencies understand how data collection and analysis drive decision making at all levels of EMS.

Excerpted from NAEMT News Spring 2015 issue. To learn more about NAEMT’s other committees, visit the About Us section of naemt.org.

Jenifer Goodwin is communication projects manager for NAEMT.