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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 23, 2004 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ,5-4 <br />SUBJECT: EMS Medical Director Contract Renewal <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management - <br />EMS <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Contract <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Kent McKenzie, ext. 3030 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider renewing an agreement between Orange County and the UNC <br />Department of Emergency Medicine concerning medical direction of Orange County's <br />Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program. <br />BACKGROUND: Orange County provides both Advanced and Basic Life Support (ALS & BLS) <br />EMS service. Under State regulations, a County providing service must function under the <br />medical supervision of a Medical Director. The County receives medical direction through the <br />UNC Department of Emergency Medicine and UNC Hospitals by Dr. Jane Brice and her <br />Assistants. <br />The Medical Director's responsibilities include providing training, monitoring and protocols for <br />the emergency medical dispatch program at 9-1-1. The Medical Director performs quality <br />assurance reviews and approves telecommunicators for certification. <br />The Medical Director establishes the level of practice for the first responders and the training <br />requirements to operate automatic defibrillators. Each first responder must be annually trained <br />and tested in defibrillation. <br />The Medical Director determines the standard of care and appropriate treatment protocols for <br />the paramedics. The Medical Director provides training, skill proficiency and evaluation of <br />technician performance for the Initial Response Paramedics. <br />The agreement with the University also requires that the Medical Director have an appropriate <br />number of assistant medical directors to assure availability at all times. The Medical Director <br />serves as a consultant for the Paramedics in the field for patient care issues. The Medical <br />Director meets weekly with EMS staff to provide consultation and review of medical issues, <br />