St. Charles County Ambulance District Welcomes Dr. David K. Tan as Chief Medical Officer

In recent years, the landscape of pre-hospital mobile healthcare has transformed tremendously. St. Charles County Ambulance District [SCCAD] has embraced this evolution, remaining steadfast in its mission to develop innovative programs and advance clinical practices to improve patient outcomes. Further elevating the unique practice of medicine being performed on-scene requires a physician clinical leader specially trained for this multi-faceted environment. After a national search, SCCAD has welcomed Dr. David K. Tan as the District’s full-time Chief Medical Officer – Medical Director.

A double board-certified subject matter expert in the field of Emergency Medicine and EMS Medicine, Dr. Tan joins SCCAD after a long career with Washington University School of Medicine, where he served as Professor and EMS Division Chief, and was an attending Emergency Physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, a certified Level 1 Trauma Center.

Though Tan’s appointment as Chief Medical Officer makes him the first full-time EMS physician in the State of Missouri, his history with SCCAD goes back nearly two decades. Since 2006, Dr. Tan has served as Associate Medical Director for the District, focusing on the Tactical EMS Unit aligned with the St. Charles County Regional SWAT Team, and the Medical Specialists serving with St. Louis Metro Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 1.

“SCCAD’s clinical success, speed, patient feedback, and key performance indicators speak for themselves,” said Dr. Tan. “EMS does not merely bring patients to health care. EMS is healthcare, and this organization is redefining service lines of pre-hospital medical practice – I’m enthusiastic about expanding my role with this devoted group of clinicians” said Dr. Tan.

Since stepping into the role, Dr. Tan has worked with the District’s Training Division to develop an aggressive and contemporary training schedule for 2024 which includes immersive education on patient care treatment protocols and new lifesaving equipment.

“Things that were once thought to be ‘hospital only’ or even ‘intensive care unit only’ are being routinely practiced in advanced life support units today. It has become increasingly clear that our paramedics are ready to embrace the expansion of their role as critical care practitioners,” said Dr. Tan.

Dr. Tan’s contributions to the advancement of pre-hospital medicine extend well beyond county borders – he has served as President of the National Association of EMS Physicians and is Vice Chair of the Missouri State Advisory Council on EMS. In addition, he is Chair of the Metropolitan St. Louis Emergency Transport Oversight Commission. His professional honors include Fellowships from the Academy of EMS and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, and in 2011 he was named Physician of the Year by the Missouri EMS Association.