Tag - EMS

January 3, 2023Read more...
CTM-Partnering with Hospitals

Partnering with Hospitals: Solving Offload Problems Together

Recent Tweets: “36 ambulances were stacked outside the hospital last night with crews forced to swap oxygen cylinders with each other as they ran out.” “It used to be we had 50 patients in the emergency department on handover; now we have 180. Last night 60% of patients had been in the ED more than 12 hours, some more than 40.” We are frustrated with wall time and diversions. Our hospital partners are understaffed and overwhelmed. There are no easy...

November 9, 2022Read more...

Updates for Seasonal Influenza (Flu) for 2022–2023

After a couple of Flu Seasons that were extraordinarily mild, Seasonal Flu is back with a vengeance. It’s starting early and all indications point to a very active Season.  The FirstWatch Intelligence Page (HIP) has updated Flu Resources, both in written documents, as well as links to outside resources for quick reference. Hopefully, these resources, as well as Weekly Flu Summaries of Flu Activity for the US and Canada, as well as globally, will help navigate this Flu season for your...

November 1, 2022Read more...

Be Careful with Fentanyl but Don’t Be Afraid to Treat

The Media, and now TV shows & movies, are representing any response from First Responders (EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement) as at risk for their own overdoses, should they even be in proximity to fentanyl.  This is partly due to the fact that there are reports of First Responders becoming symptomatic when on the scene where fentanyl is suspected or found, sometimes delaying critical patient care. This article looks at the current literature and expert guidance to explore the actual continuum of...

October 28, 2022Read more...

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Resources for First Responders

There has been increased concern about both domestic and international terrorism throughout the world. There are also natural disasters and accidental events, such as chemical releases or theft/loss of radioactive isotopes from construction sites or hospitals, occurring all around the country. One thing is clear, First Responders are almost always going to be first in on any of these incidents, except for those on the scene as the incident is occurring, looking for help. First Responders can, with the correct training,...

October 21, 2022Read more...

Ebola (Sudan strain) Outbreak in Uganda

Uganda announced that they had an outbreak of Ebola, caused by the rarer Sudan viral strain on Sept 20, 2022.  Although the rate of new cases has slowed, there is still concern since there are no treatments, other than supportive care for this strain, and the vaccine, used in previous Zaire-strain outbreaks, is not effective on the Sudan strain.  Also, the counties affected are in an area with good roads & close to the capital as well as the DRC,...

July 20, 2022Read more...

JEMS – Inaugural Recipient for Jack Stout EMS Fellowship Announced

The Jack Stout EMS Fellowship, endowed by FirstWatch, will be open to any aspiring EMS leader who is interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills to lead EMS systems now and in the future. Named for the late Jack Stout, considered to be the father of high-performance EMS systems, the Fellowship will allow selected individuals to learn the principles espoused by Stout.

May 17, 2022Read more...
CTM Leadership

Leadership in Turbulent Times

Recording coming soon. Most leadership systems in Emergency Services draw structure, rank, and practices from the military. Our approach to quality management tends to come from industry. Are our notions outdated? How is leadership actually practiced in the U.S. Military and industry? What can we apply to our own organizations as we face turbulent times? Please join the conversation.

May 12, 2022Read more...

JEMS – FirstWatch and Fitch EMS Foundation Announce Jack Stout EMS Fellowship

The Jack Stout EMS Fellowship, endowed by FirstWatch, will be open to any aspiring EMS leader who is interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills to lead EMS systems now and in the future. Named for the late Jack Stout, considered to be the father of high-performance EMS systems, the Fellowship will allow selected individuals to learn the principles espoused by Stout.

January 27, 2022Read more...
CTM-EMS and Hospice

Hospice and EMS Collaboration

When someone signs up for hospice care one of the first things they are told is, “If you have a problem call our nurse, don’t call 911.” Yet, every day EMS handles calls for hospice patients. Our guest experts discuss innovative ways to improve the care we provide for folks near the end of their lives.

December 24, 2021Read more...

Update on the Omicron Variant & Review of Mitigation Strategies for COVID-19

Omicron, the latest Variant of Concern, has become dominant in the U.S. and is gaining on the Delta Variant in Canada.  This follows its sudden surge in dominance over other strains in many countries in Africa and in Europe and confirms its increased infectiousness in the U.S.  This article includes an update on Omicron, mostly through the use of links to articles about its known and suspected traits, including differences from previous COVID-19 strains.  Due to some of these differences,...