Mike Taigman, MA, FAEMS

Improvement Guide

As our leading expert in Improvement Science, Resilience, and Stress Management, Mike’s broad experience supports customers in a variety of ways. He helps turn data into meaningful and measurable improvements in clinical and operational performance. He teaches stress management techniques that can be used by anyone anywhere. He’s the author of Super-Charge Your Stress Management in the Age of COVID-19 combatcovidstress.com and facilitated the development of EMS Agenda 2050 (emsagenda2050.org) a vision for EMS in America 30 years in the future. With 50 years of work in emergency services, mike has been recognized with some of the industry’s top awards, including the Keith Neely Award for Outstanding Contributions to the National Association of EMS Physicians, the Faculty Mentor of the Year by the Students of the UCSF Graduate Division, and the EMS Visionary Award from the American Ambulance Association for lifetime achievement.

“Helping our customers produce tangible improvements for the people they care for, the communities they serve, the professionals on their team, and their organization is my passion!” says Mike. His work at FirstWatch allows our team and tools to help EMS providers improve what they do for patients around the world.

As a street paramedic in Denver he honed his clinical skills caring for patients and helping new paramedics learn to provide solid clinical care with kindness and compassion. As a popular conference educator, author of more than 600 articles in professional journals, an Associate Professor in the graduate program in Emergency Health Services Management at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Master’s Program in Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership at the University of California San Francisco he’s focused on helping professionals save more lives, reduce suffering, and be more effective leaders. As a consultant, Mike has worked with EMS, Fire, and Public Health in 48 of the 50 states, most of the Canadian Provinces, Israel, Palestine, Australia, and throughout Europe. His expertise includes EMS Street Survival, Patient-Centered Leadership, Effective Quality/Performance Improvement, and Resilience. He holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Systems and is frequently part of the faculty for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Mike and his son regularly perform PDSA cycles aimed at decreasing stress while increasing joy and happiness. Yes you can do this at home!