Western Mass Emergency
Medical Services Committee, Inc.
Meeting:
Regional Council
Date: February 14, 2002
Place: Dakin, Conference Room A, CDH, Northampton
Presiding: Robert Hopkins, President
Called
to Order: 10:15 am
Adjourned: 10:55 am
Attendance:
Conflict of Interest Statement
Minutes: The minutes from January need to correctly reflect that there were 9 save nominations and 5 meritorious nominations that were approved. A motion was made to accept minutes as corrected. This was seconded and approved unanimously.
Physicians
Council Report:
Discussion –
Dr.
Dinneen reports that the council reviewed the diversion report and the current
diversion statistics.
The
council reviewed the P/B Waiver Renewal from Westfield Fire Department. The
Physicians Council recommends that Regional Council approve this application.
Dr. Dinneen reports that at the last State Medical Services meeting, it was
reported that there appears to be a shortage of Lasix and some hospital
pharmacies may have to supply a substitute in the meantime. Also, the State
Medical Services committee reviewed their previous minutes and realized that
they did not recommend Lactated Ringers as a required IV solution. Therefore,
Region 1 has voted to remove Lactated Ringers from ambulances. A training
packet is going to come out regarding Tracheostomy tube removal for
Intermediate EMTs’ and Paramedics.
Finally, the utilization of infusion pumps on emergency calls has been
approved by OEMS. The guidelines are: only Paramedic level ambulances having
Interfacility Transfer trained Paramedics using their own infusion pump.
Action – Regional Council to vote on the
Westfield Fire Department P/B Waiver renewal.
Executive
Directors Report:
Discussion –
Ms.
Moriarty reports that the public hearing has not been rescheduled as of yet.
She also reports that the Commissioner had a meeting with Representative Flavin
to discuss issues in this area. Ms. Moriarty was told that Rep. Flavin would be
contacting her, but hasn’t yet.
Ms.
Moriarty informed the group that the Medical Services Committee is looking at
putting together a Medical Director Requirement list, which would possibly
include a written protocol test. Ms.
Josefski reports that at the State Training Committee Meeting they are working
on accreditation of EMS training and also computerized state EMT testing.
Ms.
Moriarty reports that the State MCI Committee is still looking for a designated
representative from Region 1.
Currently, the Legislative and Regulatory Committee is reviewing
recommendations for equipment for the EFR Services (Emergency First Responders)
and also looking at incentives for basic first responders to become EFR’s. In regards to the State Communications
Committee, they are working on a state plan that will link all of the CMEDs.
Finally,
Mr. Cushing asked if there was any update on purchasing medications outside of
the hospitals. Ms. Moriarty reported that OEMS has persuaded the FDA to allow
epi-pens to be purchased outside of the hospitals. Regarding any other medications, Ms. Moriarty feels that we need
to get representatives to push the FDA to allow services to do this because it
is a FDA regulation not OEMS that is preventing outside purchase.
Action – None.
Treasurers
Report:
Discussion –
Ms.
Cushman reported that there is $53,901.65 in the checking account, $5,734.55 in
the scholarship account (as the WMEMS office paid out 2 scholarship checks) and
$4,904.02 in the EMS victim/worker relief fund. The money in the EMS victim/worker relief fund will be donated to
the NAEMT EMS Victim fund. $20.00 has been donated to keep the account open in
case the need ever arises here in western Massachusetts.
Action – Donation to be sent to the NAEMT EMS
fund.
Awards
Committee:
Discussion –
The Awards Committee approved 1 save nomination and 2 meritorious nominations.
The WMEMS office currently has 3 nominations for the Eaton Freeman Award.
Please
be aware that the deadline for Award Nominations and the Eaton Freeman Award is
March 1, 2002.
Action – Office to send out
letters to award recipients.
Communications
Committee:
Discussion –
At
the February meeting Mr. B. Andrews reported that he has not received a
response to the letter that was sent to Ms. Goyette in December. The committee discussed the hospital
diversion website and apparently there have been problems with certain hospitals
in the state. The State Communications Committee wants ambulance services to
know that hospitals are on diversion ONLY if the diversion website says so. The
hospitals cannot call services themselves to let them know they are on
diversion. There have also been some problems with hospitals forgetting to go
off diversion. Currently, the State
Communications Committee is reviewing the 1995 Statewide Communication Plan.
Finally,
Mr. Andrews reports that the Hampden East project is slowly moving forward. There
have been some technical problems that have surfaced but are currently being
worked on. In regards to the communications surveys: the committee is still
awaiting the return of some.
Action
– None.
PIER
Committee:
MCI
Committee:
Discussion –
Ms. Moriarty reports that the committee has just had their third meeting. At this meeting Ms. Moriarty circulated copies of the county MCI plans, excluding Berkshire County, as the office still needs a copy. The committee is in the process of compiling a Regional plan using the Franklin County plan as a model. Mr. Zlogar suggested that the committee consider using the LEPC resource disk that is being compiled by UMASS. Finally, Ms. Moriarty informed the council that the State MCI meeting is held the third Tuesday of every month at 10:00 a.m. in Holden.
Action – None
Training Committee:
Discussion –
The
committee was charged with developing a QA/QI template that could be used among
all services. Ms. Tuper has requested
that any service currently using a form for this type of evaluation please
forward a copy of it to the WMEMS office. Once the committee has gathered
sample forms they will compare them and develop one form that could benefit
all. The next Training Committee will
be in May at 9:30 a.m.
Action – Services using QA/QI forms please
forward copies of forms to WMEMS.
Trauma
Committee Report:
Discussion –
Ms.
Cushman reports that the committee has had three well-attended meetings but
they are still looking for more members, especially from hospital and ambulance
services.
After
considerable discussion, the committee has developed the following goals:
1)
Standardize
management of trauma patient care across the region
2)
Build
an educational plan which includes medical control and triage criteria
3)
Enhance
the relationship and communication process between prehospital providers,
medical control, and receiving facilities
4)
Explore
funding/grant opportunities for trauma care
5)
Develop
a database to track trauma care issues, practices, and data
Ms.
Cushman informed the council that these goals are primarily designed around the
goals of the state subcommittees.
Action – None.
County
Committee Reports:
Franklin County: Mr. Johnson reported that the Franklin County Council of Government has approved funding for fixing the Shelburne Mountain radio.
Berkshire
County: Mr. Andrews informed the group
that with the many interfacility transfers being done regularly, there have
been problems with ambulances taking the patients to the wrong campuses of the
larger hospitals. He just wanted to remind people to verify the exact location
a patient is being transferred to prior to leaving a hospital.
EMS
Worker/Victim Relief Fund:
The money collected will be donated
to the NAEMT EMS Fund, as 100% of the money will go to the family members of
the EMS victims. The office will keep
$20.00 in the account to keep it open.
Action – The office to send the
donation to the NAEMT EMS Fund.
Legislative
Breakfast:
Discussion-
It
has been decided to schedule a breakfast next January as currently the
legislative members are very busy with the budget and other public events.
Westfield
Fire Department P/B Waiver:
Discussion –
With
the recommendation from Physicians Council, a motion was made to approve the
Westfield Fire Department P/B Waiver Renewal. This motion was seconded and
approved with 1 abstention, Ms. Goodrich.
Action – Ms. Josefski to send a
letter to OEMS regarding this approval.
Canceling
Paramedic Intercepts:
Discussion –
Mr.
B. Andrews would like to request that the Regional office come up with a policy
for when and how paramedic intercepts should be turned away in the event they
are not needed. Dr. Dinneen reported
that Franklin County has a policy, but feels that this issue should be
discussed at Physician’s Council. Mr.
Manchino stated that there should be paperwork filled out in the event that a
service is canceled to avoid liability issues. Ms. Moriarty responded that she
feels that there are two issues at hand: 1) A paramedic service that is en
route but then canceled, and 2) A paramedic service arrives on scene and are
not needed. For Franklin County, Mr. Johnson stated that EMD is used; therefore
occasionally paramedics are not needed but they are being automatically
dispatched. A suggestion was made that the office should check other systems to
see what is being done and provide the information to the Physicians Council.
Action – Put this issue on the
March agenda of Physician’s Council.
Annual
Meeting:
The
annual meeting is scheduled for Thursday night April 11th, 2002 at 5
pm. We have reserved the Delaney House.
The Pioneer Valley Mass CPR Day will be held on March 9 at Western New England College. The Berkshire County Mass CPR Day will be held on April 27, with a location yet to be decided.
The fee for this Family and Friends course will be $10.00 per person. Also, both events are looking for CPR Instructors to help.
Next
Meeting:
Discussion –
The
next meeting will be held on March 14, 2002 at 10:00 am. This meeting will be held in Dakin,
Conference Room A.
Adjourn: A motion was made to adjourn at 10:55 am. This motion was seconded
and approved unanimously.
Lisa
Herringshaw, Recorder