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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 1 fi, 2000 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. -8-m - <br />SUBJECT: Renewal of Agreement with UNC Hospitals for EMS Medical Director <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management - <br />EMS <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Contract <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Nick Waters, ext 3030 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 9fi8-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider renewing an agreement between Orange County and UNC Hospitals <br />concerning medical direction of Orange County's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program. <br />BACKGROUND: Orange County provides an Advanced Life Support (ALS) EMS service. <br />Under State regulations, a County providing that level of service must function under a Medical <br />Director at the sponsor hospital. The County receives medical direction through UNC Hospitals <br />from Dr. Greg Mears. <br />The Medical Directors responsibilities include providing training, monitoring and protocols for <br />the emergency medical dispatch (EMD) program at 9-1-1. The Medical Director performs <br />quality assurance reviews and approves telecommunicators for certification in EMD. <br />ThE Medical Director establishes the level of practice for the first responders and the training <br />requirements for them to operate automatic defibrillators. Each first responder must be <br />annually trained and tested in defibrillation. <br />The Medical Direr determines the standard of care and appropriate treatment protocols for <br />the paramedics. The Medical Director must provide training, skill proficiency and evaluation of <br />technician performance for the Initial Response Paramedics. <br />The agreement with the Hospital 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, in patient care issues. The Medical <br />Director meets weekly with EMS staff to provide consultation and review of medical issues. <br />In addition to a Medical Director, the Hospital also provides a nurse liaison whose primary <br />functions are to facilitate skill evaluations, special training sessions, technician review with staff <br />training officer, and assist in writing the required two year training program for state approval. <br />