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WREMAC ADVISORY: Ancillary Certifications and Coronavirus Disease

Download WREMAC Advisory – Ancillary Certifications Coronavirus Disease

Many providers within the region possess ancillary certification cards (ITLS/PHTLS, ACLS, BLS/CPR, PALS) required by the Provider Privileges & CME policy set to expire on March 30th or April 30th. In an effort to limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus/COVID-19, the WREMAC will consider valid any such completion cards with an expiration (or recommended renewal) date of March 31st or April 30th until at least May 31st. This date may be extended as circumstances evolve.

No provider shall be considered out-of-compliance with policy #2013-1 (Provider Privileges and Continuing Medical Education) if their ancillary course cards expire between 3/31/2020 and 5/31/2020.

Download WREMAC Advisory – Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and its associated disease, COVID-19, pose a unique risk to EMS providers. To reduce the risk of transmission, the WREMAC encourages EMS providers to strongly consider the following:

• Placing a simple mask on all patients being transported who have symptoms of a respiratory illness (fever, cough, etc.) regardless of travel history.

• Prenotification of the receiving facility for patients with upper respiratory symptoms, fever, and either travel history (China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, or Italy within 14 days of symptom onset) or confirmed contact with a Person Under Investigation (PUI) who is being tested for (or confirmed to have) the COVID-19 virus.

Watch for communications from your program agency/regional council for up-to-date information as it becomes available. Current from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found online at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-for-ems.html

Please see the attached memo for guidance on responding with a potential modified special operating procedure.

Download the UBMD 2019 COVID Memo_rev_March_2020_v1.2

At this point, please continue to use standard PPE and assessment procedures. If COVID-19 becomes more widespread to include WNY, we will update plans accordingly.

Additionally, NYS EMS has advisories. Click here

CDC has EMS advisories, click here.

Feel free to disseminate this through your department and ranks. Please contact me with questions or concerns.

—

Joseph Bart, DO,  FACEP

Board Certified – Emergency Medicine and EMS
Director – EMS Operations

UB|MD Emergency Medicine – EMS Division

Yesterday, the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System (BEMS) activated the New York State EMS Mobilization Plan to support ongoing DOH COVID-19 operations in Westchester County. While there are currently no additional deployment requests pending, BEMS is developing a list of available EMS agency equipment and personnel that would be available should additional requests be received. We are requesting that each EMS agency complete the “Statewide EMS Mobilization Survey” that can be accessed using the link below.

https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/NYSEMSMobilizationSurvey

The first section of the survey contains a field for “Reporting Period.” Currently, we are collecting information for two reporting periods (March 8 – March 14 and March 15 – March 21). EMS agencies should submit a survey for each reporting period. If operations last beyond March 21^st, additional reporting periods may be added to the survey and resent to you for distribution. We are requesting that surveys for reporting period of March 8 – March 14 be completed by 13:00hrs on Sunday (3/8/20).

Steven P. Dziura Jr.

Deputy Director

New York State Department of Health

Bureau of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma Systems

875 Central Avenue
Albany, New York 12206

(518) 402-0997| Steven.Dziura@health.ny.gov

www.health.ny.gov

Mercy Hospital of Buffalo and Erie County Emergency Services will be offering cardiac simulation education at Town Line FD at 7pm on April 20th.  For more details, including registration information, please: Download Town Line Cardiac SIM Flyer

There will be a “Mental Health and First Aid” course at the Wyoming County DSS Building in Warsaw on Sunday, March 22 from 8am – 5pm.

For more information please Download Warsaw Mental Health and First Aid Flyer

To register: http://www.lpccnems.org/education-training

EMS Council Awards are due on May 1^st.

Last year, the Bureau also created the NYS EMS Innovation Awards.  The description is below and the link to submit is also attached.  These award submissions are also due on May 1^st.

NYS EMS Council Awards: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/emsawards.htm

New York State EMS Innovation Awards:

Progressive ideas and forwarding thinking agencies have inspired change that has created system sustainability, recruitment, retention, alternative education models and so much more.  EMS Agencies, REMSCOs, REMACs, Program Agencies and Course Sponsors over the past year have been implementing innovation throughout New York State achieving positive results and advancing the field of Emergency Medical Services. If you are an agency or know an agency that has solved a problem/gap using innovation, consider self-nomination or nomination of an agency to be one of the EMS Innovation Award recipients.

Innovation Award Categories:

1. Organizational Change Innovations: Innovations in system designs, agency sustainability, and facilitating organizational change.
2. Clinical Delivery Innovations: Innovations in clinical practices that are leading to positive patient outcomes and/or positive patient experiences.
3. Recruitment and Retention Innovations: Innovations in recruitment, onboarding, longevity, staff experience and/or staff satisfaction leading to gaining and retaining staff.
4. Educational Innovations: Innovations in education delivery models, student experience and/or community involvement.

To submit a nomination, please electronically submit your application via: https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/vital-signs-ems-agency-innovatio

Eligibility: Must be a New York State EMS agency, that includes but is not limited to, an ambulance service, ALS-FR, BLS-FR, REMSCO, REMAC, Program Agency and/or Course Sponsor.  All innovation submissions must be in compliance with New York State Public Health Law Article 30 and Title 10 of the New York Code Rules and Regulations.  Any submission that does not meet this criteria will be ineligible.

Valerie Ozga

EMS Conference Coordinator

NYS EMS Conference Vital Signs

(518-402-1123)

Position: CLINICAL BASE MANAGER

The Clinical Base Manager will be responsible to uphold and maintain the mission and vision of Mercy Flight Inc. outlined in the Medical Operations Manual and General Operations Manual at all times. The Clinical Base Manager must be clinically proficient, administratively competent and of strong positive moral and ethical character. He/she must at all times set an excellent example of being professional and “Mission Ready”.

Position Prerequisites:

1. Minimum 1 year Air Medical Experience as Flight Nurse or Flight Paramedic.

2. Minimum 5 years experience as a Paramedic or Registered Nurse.

3. Minimum of Associates Degree in healthcare related field preferred.

4. Current active status as NYS Paramedic or Registered Nurse.

5. Favorable recommendations.

6. Current Certification as FP-C, CCP-C, CCRN, or CFRN

7. Current in all required Clinical Flight Crew certifications (CPR,ACLS,PALS,NRP,ITLS)

8. Management experience preferred

For more details regarding this opportunity, please download the position description

Download Mercy Flight Clinical Base Manager Position Description

At the last New York State Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (SEMAC), a process was approved to allow for annual updating of the EMS Protocols. This process will allow for year-round submission of recommended protocol changes and new protocol suggestions through an online form (link below).

If you have any recommended protocol changes or suggestions for new protocols, you may submit them at the link below.  You must provide your name and contact information in the event a member of the Protocol Working Group needs to contact you to solicit more detail about your recommendation. Please do not include any Protected Health Information.

http://j.mp/2Qh9atV

There will be a Certified Instructor Update Course at the Public Safety Training Facility in Rochester on February 24th from 6-9pm.

For more information, please see the course flyer.

Download Rochester CIU Course Flyer