May 18-24, 2014 is 40th Annual EMS Week
— from Pat Ayers —
In 1973, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate Emergency Medical Services, its practitioners and the important work they do responding to medical emergencies. Coming on the heels of Congress passing the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act, the first EMS Week celebrations were held when EMS was a fledgling industry. EMS practitioners were only beginning to emerge as a critical component of emergency medicine, the public health safety net and in helping to safeguard the health and wellbeing of communities.
A lot has changed over the last four decades. EMS is now recognized for its role in saving lives from sudden cardiac arrest and trauma; in getting people to the hospitals best equipped to treat heart attacks and strokes; and in setting the stage for a positive care experience – not just through medical skill, but by showing caring and compassion to patients in scary, distressing situations.
Then, as now, was a time of great change in EMS. Today, healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act are fueling innovations and a shift in the way that medical care is paid for – changes that pose challenges and opportunities for EMS. With the continued development of alternate EMS delivery models such as Mobile Integrated Healthcare and Community Paramedicine, hospitals and health insurers are increasingly looking to EMS to take on additional responsibilities in filling gaps in healthcare in communities throughout the United States.
On Orcas Island, we have our own set of challenges – mostly due to our remote island setting. Our EMS (paramedics and EMTs) are held to higher training standards, which is evident in the treatment and transportation of sick and injured community members. While the paramedics are paid staff, all of the EMTs are volunteer members of Orcas Island Fire and Rescue. The dedication that each volunteer and staff member shows every time we respond to the aid of someone who is sick or injured.
EMS Week is the perfect time to recognize all of our volunteer EMTs and staff paramedics for the integral role they play in the healthcare system and in our community.
