Agenda - 06-04-2002 - 8i - Laserfiche WebLink

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I ' ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA REM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 4, 2002 Action Agenda 4 Item No. !Z—I SUBJECT: Emergency Medical Services(EMS)Medical Director Contract Renewal DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management- PUBLIC HEARING: (VIN) No EMS ATTACHMENT(5): INFORMATION CONTACT: Contract Nick Waters,ext 3030 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillaborough 733 9181 Chapel Hill 9684501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 338427-2031 PURPOSE: To consider renewing an agreement between Orange County and the UNC Department of Emergency Medidne concerning medical direction of Orange County's Emergency Medical Services (EMS)program. BACKGROUND: Orange County provides Advanced Life Support(ALS) EMS service. Under State EMS regulations, a County that provides ALS service must do sa under the guidance and medical direction of a physician. The County receives medical direction through the University of North Carolina's Department of Emergency Medicine from Dr.Jane Brice and other emergency medicine physicians. The Medical Direci responsibilities involve the medical management of all aspects of the EMS system. One area of work Is the emergency medical dispatch program in the 9-1-1 center, where the Medical Director has responsibility for providing protocol development. medical training, protocol compliance monitoring, quality assurance, and approves telecommunirators for EMD certification. Another area ofwork is the first responder defibrillation program, in which the Medical Director establishes the level of practice for first responder personnel, defines the training requirements for them to operate automatic defibrillators,and ensures annual training and testing for the defibdllaticn program. The largest area of work for the Medical Director is the medical management of the Initial Response Paramedic program. The Medical Director determines the medical standard of care and develops appropriate treatment protocols for use by the paramedics. The Medical Director oversees the initial and ongoing training programs, and is responsible for providing training, monitoring skill proFlUancy and conducting regular performance evaluations for the Initial Response Paramedics. The agreement went the Hospital also ebpuletes that the Medical Director have an appropriate number of assistant medical directors to assure availability at all times. The Medical Director serves as a consultant forthe Paramedics in the field on patient rare issues. The Medical Director meets weekly with EMS staff to pi consultation and review of medical Issues.