Western Mass Emergency
Medical Services Committee, Inc.
Meeting:
Executive Committee
Date: January 3, 2002
Place: McCallum Building Living Room, CDH,
Northampton
Presiding: Robert Hopkins
Called
to Order: 10:10 a.m.
Adjourned: 12:05 p.m.
Attendance:
Present
- Brian
Andrews, Mary Cushman, Dan Harrington, Robert Hopkins, Dana Johnson, Steve
Manchino, and Linda Moriarty
Present
by Proxy –
Ray Conway
Absent
– Jeff
Rawson
Minutes: A motion was made to accept minutes as written. This was seconded and approved unanimously.
WMEMS
Job Descriptions:
Discussion –
After
looking over job descriptions for Salary Review in September, Ms. Cushman
proposed that all Executive Members receive a copy of these for a full review
at a later date. Ms. Cushman requested
this review to be sure that the actual tasks correspond with the job
descriptions.
After
lengthy discussion the following changes are noted:
Executive
Director:
-
Change:
conductive to conducive
-
change:
overall description to a bulleted format similar to the other job descriptions
-
re-word:
current paragraph #3 to reflect that executive director will work in
conjunction with the executive committee in performing the duties of
short/long range planning and
establishment of regional operating policies. In a separate bullet indicate
that the executive director will be responsible for the office organization,
determine the authority and responsibilities of subordinate personnel and
supervise office staff.
-
re-word:
paragraph #7, Responsible for overseeing…..annual budget, submit this budget
for review and approval by ……
-
add:
Other duties as directed
-
add:
revision date at end of description
Motion to accept changes as first draft contingent upon the return next month with the submitted changes and bulleted format. Approved unanimously.
-
add:
qualifications, experience, education and revision date
-
change:
represent committee at state meetings in director’s absence to represent
Regional Committee at state meetings and/or state committees as directed
Motion to accept changes as first draft contingent upon the return next month with the submitted changes and the qualifications, experience and education. Approved unanimously.
-
eliminate:
oversees transfer of Springfield CMED to WMEMS
-
change:
Surveys local to Surveys regional communications…
-
add:
Works in conjunction with the regional communications committee
-
add:
Identify regional communication system problems and presents potential
solutions or improvements to the communications committee
-
change:
Serves as regional liaison…..to;
Represent Regional Committee at state meetings and/or state committees
as directed
-
add:
qualifications, experience, education and revision date
Motion to accept changes as first draft contingent upon the return next month with the submitted changes and the qualifications, experience and education. Approved unanimously.
Executive Assistant
-
add:
qualifications, experience, education and revision date
Motion to accept changes as first draft contingent upon the return next month with the submitted changes and the qualifications, experience and education. Approved unanimously.
-
add:
Appropriately file materials as directed
-
add:
qualifications, experience, education and revision date
Motion to accept changes as first draft contingent upon the return next month with the submitted changes and the qualifications, experience and education. Approved unanimously.
There was some discussion about evaluation tools being more in line with current job descriptions. Mr. Andrews and Ms. Cushman stated they would bring some examples to the next meeting.
Action – Changes to be made to
job descriptions and brought to next meeting for review
Mr. Andrews and Ms. Cushman to bring copies
of evaluation tools to next meeting
Communications
Committee Update:
Mr.
Andrews reports that there appears to be an issue with a piece of equipment
with the Hampden East Project. Mr. Cote currently needs to make contacts with a
few people regarding this. Mr. Andrews will also make contact with these people
via e-mail. Mr. Andrews drafted a letter to Ms. Goyette regarding the financial
needs in Region 1 in order for some organizations to implement the diversion
website. In regards to the Resource Manual, the committee is still in the
process of organizing and compiling a survey to obtain the information for this
manual. Mr. Cote has a concern about
the finances involved in compiling and distributing this Resource Manual. Ms. Josefski informed the committee that
OEMS is requiring that the WMEMS office (along with the other Regions) compile
a list of all equipment/resources that each service has. With this in mind, she feels that it would
make more sense for the office to address the needs of both the communications
project and our own, and compile one survey with all of the necessary
information. Ms. Moriarty feels that
the information that the communications committee needs is more in depth than
the info OEMS would like. Mr. Andrews
is going to check with the WMEMS office to find out what information they
currently obtain in their database and then go from there. Regarding expenses, Mr. Andrews asked Mr.
Cote how much he thought this project would cost. Mr. Cote was not sure what the total expenses would be as it
would depend on how many copies were compiled.
Also mentioned was the fact that Hampshire County LEPC is currently
having UMASS develop a resource manual.
Finally,
Mr. Andrews has created a Communications Committee Newsletter. Ms. Herringshaw
has some copies that need to be mailed out to all services. Ms. Josefski
wondered if this newsletter could be compiled into a group newsletter with
contributions from all committees. Mr. Andrews and the rest of the committee
thought this would be a good idea. Ms. Moriarty feels that with this newsletter
we should reenact out bulk mail permit so we could accommodate all committees.
Also, it was suggested that we put a cover page with meeting dates, times, and
locations.
In
regards to the Shelburne Mountain communications issues, Mr. Andrews has
drafted a letter to the Franklin County EMS Assoc. in care of Mr. Johnson. In
this letter he offers the committees assistance with their communications
problem if they need it.
Action – Mr. Cote and Mr. Andrews to make
contacts to iron out Hampden East Project.
Ms. Herringshaw to mail out communications newsletter to
services.
Ms. Josefski to check into reenacting out bulk mail permit.
The WMEMS office staff to begin planning for a committee newsletter.
Update
on Committee Chairperson Meeting:
Discussion –
This
meeting was held after Regional Council meeting a few months ago. Ms. Cushman
would like someone from the WMEMS office to attend the Trauma Committee meeting
to take minutes. Ms. Moriarty said that this could be done and feels that an
office staff member should attend all of the monthly committee meetings and
take minutes. Currently, the only committees that do not regularly have an
office member present are the Training and Awards Committees. Presently Ms.
Pummell submits minutes from the Training Committee and Mr. Andrews will speak
with Ms. Hover about the Awards Committee. Mr. Cote was asked what the status
was of the PIER Committee, and he responded that it currently is not functional
as there is only one person interested. The office will check into this.
WMEMS office to check with PIER chairperson for
meeting status.
Update
on A/R Progress (Conflict of Interest):
Discussion –
Ms.
Moriarty reports that Mr. McNamara from Region 2 has volunteered the
utilization of his lawyer to look closely at these A/R’s. According to Mr.
McNamara this will cost each Region $2,000. All Regions said no and agreed to
have their own lawyers look at this.
Ms. Moriarty stated that after speaking with the Regional Directors,
they felt that OEMS was holding the Regional Councils to a higher standard than
anyone else.
Action – WMEMS to have
their lawyer look over these A/R’s and get back to the council.
Worker/Victim
Relief Fund:
Discussion –
Currently,
the Regional Council has recommended that the Executive Committee make the
decision for disbursement of the money collected. Mr. Andrews and Mr. Irish
have both found funds and given information about them to the office.
Ultimately we are looking for a group that will give money to the EMS victims
and have the least amount going to company overhead. Mr. Andrews made a motion
for the WMEMS office to gather data regarding the companies 501 (c) (3) status,
if they are directed specifically to EMS people, and if there is any overhead.
This was seconded and the motion was approved unanimously.
Action – WMEMS to contact
the two organizations to seek the above information and update
the committee next
month.
WMEMS
Personnel Policies:
Discussion –
Now
that the Executive Committee has revised the Job Description Ms. Cushman would
like the committee to review the Personnel Policies. For next months’ agenda:
the revised job descriptions and review of personnel policies.
Action – Ms. Herringshaw
to mail out copies of the WMEMS Personnel Policy with this month’s minutes and list as agenda item for
next month.
OEMS
Public Hearing:
Discussion –
There
will be a public hearing on February 4th in Northampton to go over
proposed regulations. Mr. Andrews has a few concerns regarding these changes:
1)
He
is concerned that all services will be required to report any
problems/incidents from calls to OEMS. He feels that this generally should be a
QA issue and not necessarily an OEMS issue.
As a region should we develop a template for QA/QI
programs to help those services that don’t already have one in place?
Ms. Moriarty stated that she will research other
Regions to check out their QA programs and also look at others in Region 1.
Should we also be thinking about creating an incident
reporting form as well templates for ambulance policies (ie restraint policy)?
Ms. Moriarty is concerned about discoverability of
documents once someone files an incident report, as proposed by these
regulations changes, with the state and it becomes a public document. Also of
issue is the OEMS definition of serious event, or lack thereof.
2)
In
regards to filing with OEMS when it is over ½ hour before patient care is
turned over to hospital staff: Won’t we be making trouble for the hospitals? He
feels that we currently don’t have any way to document this type of incident
therefore how can we confirm information.
3)
Mr.
Johnson commented that in the hilltowns certain regulations will be impossible
to follow.
4)
Mr.
Andrews raised the concern regarding Service Zone Planning: according to the
proposed regulation, local jurisdictions will need to develop plans then submit
the plan to the Regional Council for review and recommendation of approval to
the State. Are we going to need to appoint a sub-committee for Service Zone
Planning? Mr. Johnson feels that it will be very time consuming to look at the
plans in all towns.
5)
Ms.
Moriarty informed those present that in these changes a municipality can
designate “Emergency First Responders (EFRs)”. If a municipality makes this
designation there are certain requirements that will have to be met. No current
first responder service will have to be designated as an EFR service. Mr. Harrington asked if this will have an
impact on billing and reimbursement. Ms. Moriarty stated that she has heard two
different reports and is still checking this out.
Action – Mr. Andrews to
take concerns to Regional Council.
Ms.
Moriarty to continue to research the billing/reimbursement issues for EFRs.
Please Note: As of this mailing the Public Hearings scheduled for February 4 in Northampton and February 7 in Jamaica Plain have been cancelled. They will be rescheduled by DPH.
Legislative
Breakfast:
Discussion –
Mr.
Hopkins asked if anyone feels it would be beneficial to hold a Legislative
Breakfast. Mr. Andrews feels that we should consider it and if indeed we have
one we need to have a specific agenda. Also suggested was having arranged
seating so the legislative members do not have the option of sitting together.
Action – A Legislative Breakfast
will be approached at Regional Council next week.
Annual
Meeting:
Discussion –
Ms.
Josefski has booked the Delaney House for April 11th, 2002. Ms.
Moriarty reports that we will need to either raise the price per person
slightly or not offer hors’doeuvres; the office ended up paying about $1200
last year.
Action – This will be discussed
at a later date.
Next
Meeting:
Discussion –
The
next meeting will be held on February 7, 2002 at 10:00 am. in the McCallum
Building Living Room.
Adjourn: At 12:05 p.m. a motion was made to adjourn the meeting. This
motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
Lisa
Herringshaw, Secretary, Recorder