Community Paramedicine/MIH

Recently, the Minnesota Department of Health released a Community Paramedicine (CP) Toolkit.  The kit is intended to be a resource for Minnesota ambulance services, hospitals, and other stakeholders considering the development or expansion of a community paramedicine program.

The Toolkit contains a series of helpful tools and resources that can be used by a wide variety of stakeholders, but primarily prospective employers interested in hiring and integrating (CP) into their organization. While the Toolkit contains information reflecting the current state of the profession in Minnesota, not all aspects of the CP profession are defined in the state.  Statute, policy, and procedure defining the profession will continue to evolve.

The tools contained in the Toolkit are intended to be both actionable and measurable, and will help streamline an employer’s decision-making and, hopefully, the successful adoption of a community paramedicine program. The Toolkit also includes references, resources and examples to help planners get started quickly.  >> Click to download the Toolkit.

Minnesota began several years ago with its introduction of Community Paramedicine.  Wisconsin has had a few ambulance services integrate a variety of Community Paramedicine delivery methods; however, most of them have targeted reducing repeat callers into 911 systems for an ambulance. 

Wisconsin's fire and EMS stakeholders, including PAAW, have prepared a bill draft and vetted it among stakeholders the past many months.  They intend to ask legislators to introduce the bill draft this February, so Community Paramedicine is formally recognized by the state.  With the Governor's signature, the bill becomes law allowing Wisconsin's ambulance services and other providers to bill Medicare for CP services provided.

Advanced Training

Gundersen Health System will be offering the University of Maryland Baltimore County's CCEMTP course in La Crosse this coming April and May. Class dates will be every Thursday and Friday, 8am - 5pm, April 6 - May 25.

UMBC’s CCEMTPs course is one of three critical care paramedic courses approved by the Wisconsin EMS Section office.

Contact Rick Barton, course site coordinator, via email at rkbarton@gundersenhealth.org for course brochure, registration, and other information.

Leadership Training

Waushara County EMS recently announced they will be sponsoring an EMS supervisors "Boot Camp", April 13 and 14, in Wautoma.  It will be facilitated by nationally recognized presenter Jon Politis.

The 16-hour training course is a powerful-interactive workshop intended to ease the sometimes painful transition to EMS leadership.  The two-day course tuition is $250.

>> Click for more information or to register.
>> Click for area lodging and dining information.

EMS Live in Wisconsin Podcast

Mailed ballots were due today from members of the Legislative Study Committee on Volunteer Firefighter and EMT Shortages.  Based on their discussions, members are voting on legislation drafted to address one of Wisconsin's, and the nation's for that matter, longstanding concerns - ways to increase volunteer recruitment and retention in emergency services.  >> Click for the Study Committee's website.

According to committee member Dana Sechler, photo insert left, "Once the ballots are counted they will be given to the Joint Legislative Council, which established the study committee this past summer".  According to the Joint Legislative Council's website, the Council reviews the legislation recommended by the study committees and, if a majority of Council members vote for introduction, the legislation is sponsored by the Joint Legislative Council.  The next legislative session begins in February.

PAAW would like to extend its appreciation to Legislative Study Committee members and those who testified before the committee or provided documents and letters.

On Tuesday, December 13, PAAW completed an EMS Live in Wisconsin podcast with Legislative Study Committee members John Eich and Dana Sechler.  Both offered an update on work of the committee, pending vote and what it all means.  >> Click for on-demand podcast playback.

Standby for Tones Blog

He called 911 when the symptoms began. He explained that he was a diabetic and he was not feeling well. By the time we were knocking on his door along with the fire rescue crew, things had gone downhill. When there was no response, we opened the door and entered. And stopped, all of us. Three firemen, my partner, and finally myself. I recall walking directly into the back of my partner as he abruptly stopped. Peering around him, I saw that the group of firemen had all stopped as well. Peering further, I saw the source of our sudden collective halt.

His dog was very large, and very protective, and very unhappy with the group of strangers who had just entered her human’s house. Her human who would not wake up. She stood over him, and the low sound in her throat didn’t need any extra volume. It meant business. The caller, our patient, was now unresponsive. I was thanking God I did not have care on this call, and that my partner that day was a senior medic. Unhurried in speech and manner, he was just the ticket to teach the brand new medic that I was on this winter day. Eight months in to my career, I stood, dumb struck at this spectacle in front of me.

>> Click to read more of the story...

"Standby for Tones" is a monthly blog written by Crystal Wallin, a La Crosse paramedic.  Her stories, written from real life events, bring to light the human experience in having an EMS career and work life.  >> Click to read Crystal's blog.

EMS Live Podcast

>> Click for on-demand playback.

This  EMS Live in Wisconsin podcast was recorded on Tuesday, October 25 and lasted 30 minutes.

Our guest was Josh Finke with the State of Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board subcommittee for EMS System Management.

Signup today to stay informed!

The Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health, has created a listserv email group dedicated to the firefighter and EMT volunteer shortage discussions currently taking place.  Signup to receive Legislative Study Committee updates, share your ideas and weigh in on the topic.

According to PAAW Executive Director Joe Covelli, "The listserv offers an immediate email communications link for those who would like to participate and stay on top of the latest information being discussed, recommended and decided.  We are coming to a point very soon when legislation is going to be introduced and debated".  Covelli added, "This is a pivotal time for the EMS and fire industry and communities they serve - ambulance services and fire departments need to pay attention to what is happening".

To subscribe to the listserv, click on the link below and enter your name and email address.  Link:  https://lists.wisc.edu/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=volunteer.  You may unsubscribe at any time.

EMS Live Podcast

On Tuesday, October 11 EMS Live in Wisconsin podcast guests included Legislative Study Committee members Dana Sechler and John Eich.

The Legislative Study Committee on Volunteer Firefighter and EMT Shortages has been meeting every month since July, listening to testimony and receiving correspondence from industry experts, fire and EMS leaders and elected officials on the subject.  According to committee member Dana Sechler, "Eighty percent of the time legislative action comes out of a Study Committee". 

Wisconsin has been riding along as firefighter and EMT staffing shortages have grown year-over-year, and were foretold back when two state legislative study committees were convened in the 1990s to address the topic twenty years ago.  Nothing was done either time - and actually the State's EMS Office shelved the Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board's recommendations.  Just a couple years ago, Wisconsin had over 22,000 licensed First Responders, EMTs and Paramedics.  As of July 2016, that number decreased to 16,500.

Committee member John Eich mentioned during the podcast, "We don't have volunteer police officers in Wisconsin, and fire and EMS are part of the public safety net too."

Door County Emergency Services Director Dan Williams, who also served as chairman of the Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board in the 1990s and 2000s, the same board that offered recommendations to the two Legislative Study Committees in the 1990s, testified before the current Study Committee in August.  "We have to watch this very carefully.  We have to be very, very careful it is the right legislation.  This is a crucial problem - we have to get it right.", according to Williams.  >> Click to review William's presentation and recommendations.

The committee recently met on Tuesday, October 18.  Most of the discussion regarded testimony by a representative with the National Registry of EMTs, and reviewing in detail a memo authored by staff attorney Margit Kelly.  The memo provided a highlight of ideas from previous committee discussions.  >> Click to review Kelly's memo.

It seems the group is headed toward narrowing in on their recommendations based on what they've heard in testimony and various ideas or suggestions that have been offered.  Four different sets of legislation have already been proposed by legislators.

>> Click for on-demand playback.

Don't miss a beat of Wisconsin EMS action - listen to EMS Live!

Podcast guests include Committee members Dana Sechler and John Eich

The next live podcast of EMS Live in Wisconsin is Tuesday, October 11 starting at 9:00 a.m.  Our guests include Legislative Study Committee members Dana Sechler and John Eich.  The dial-in number is 646-929-1081, or listen on the internet at http://tobtr.com/9496619.

The Legislative Study Committee on Volunteer Firefighter and EMT Shortages has been meeting every month since July, listening to testimony and receiving correspondence from industry experts, fire and EMS leaders and elected officials on the subject.  Wisconsin has been riding along as firefighter and EMT staffing shortages have increased year-over-year, and were foretold back when two state legislative study committees were convened in the 1990s to address the topic twenty years ago.  Nothing was done either time - and actually the State's EMS Office shelved the Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board's recommendations.

According to Committee member Dana Sechler, "Eighty percent of the time legislative action comes out of a Study Committee".

Door County Emergency Services Director Dan Williams, who also served as chairman of the Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board in the 1990s and 2000s, the same board that offered recommendations to the two Legislative Study Committees in the 1990s, testified before the current Study Committee in August.  "We have to watch this very carefully.  We have to be very, very careful it is the right legislation.  This is a crucial problem - we have to get it right.", according to Williams.

Join the live program on Tuesday, October 11 starting at 9:00 a.m. and lasting 30 minutes.  The dial-in number is 646-929-1081, or listen on any internet connected device at http://tobtr.com/9496619.

Don't miss a beat of Wisconsin EMS action - listen to EMS Live!