HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12112012 - D.1RECOMMENDATION(S):
CONSIDER directing Contra Costa Health Services to conduct an EMS System re-evaluation and report findings and
recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No general fund impact.
BACKGROUND:
In 2004, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors approved a major redesign of the EMS System to provide timely
paramedic response in most areas of the county from the ambulance provider and fire service paramedic first
responders. Recent changes nationally in health care services, at the State level in the prehospital scope of practice,
and locally in fire service funding have created new challenges and opportunities for the Contra Costa EMS System.
The Contra Costa EMS system is a high performance, collaborative network of public safety, private transport, and
hospital personnel committed to providing care and transport to patients experiencing medical emergencies.
Recently, several fire services in Contra Costa have been forced to close fire stations reducing the ability of fire first
responders
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 12/11/2012 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Patricia Frost
646-4690
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board
of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: December 11, 2012
David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc: Tasha Scott, D Gary, Juliene Latteri
D. 1
To:Board of Supervisors
From:William Walker, M.D., Health Services
Date:December 11, 2012
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System Re-evaluation
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
to meet response time goals. These changes have significant impacts for the EMS System and threaten fire first
responder paramedic program sustainability. Changes in State EMS regulations have made certain life-saving
measures previously available only to paramedics now available the advanced level emergency medical
technicians. Health care reform at the national level may offer opportunities for partnership between hospitals and
prehospital EMS providers to reduce unnecessary ambulance transports.
The system re-evaluation will explore opportunities to improve efficiencies within the current EMS System for
benefiting patients, stakeholders and communities. The system re-evaluation will also explore evidenced-based
alternative service models that support improved patient outcomes and the goals of health care reform. Review
and recommendations for changes in the provision of emergency and non-emergency ambulance service will be
evaluated as part of this report.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Board Order is not approved, opportunities to improve efficiencies, reduce cost and encourage sustainability
of EMS System capabilities may be missed.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
None.
CLERK'S ADDENDUM
Speaker: Leslie Mueller, American Medical Response DIRECTED Contra Costa Health Services to conduct an
EMS System re-evaluation and report findings and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors by no later
than February 28, 2013, or sooner if feasible.
ATTACHMENTS
G:\NON CONTRACTS\EMS presentation for BOS.pdf
EMS System Design (2004)
High Performance
▪Dispatch-Fire First Response-
Transport-Hospital
▪Advanced Life Support Paramedic
▪Coordinated patient care teams
High Reliability
▪Rapid response and transport to
definitive care
▪Optimized within local capabilities
High Trust
▪Commitment to Patient Safety’
▪Evidence-based
Basic Life Support is Fundamental Medical Care
Critical Link in the Chain of Survival
Importance of Multi-Agency Teamwork
911 Medical Dispatch – Matching Need to Resource
“Sending the right thing(s), in the right way, at the right time,
in the right configuration, and to do the right things”
Full integration with Health Care
Trauma, STEMI, Stroke, Cardiac Arrest
Dispatch-Nurse Call Center Partnerships
Linked medical record systems
New pre-hospital care roles
Community Paramedic
Advanced EMT
EMS and Accountable Care
Organizations (ACOs)
Strategic Hospital/Health Plan partnerships
Potential new revenue streams
Strategic matching of patient need to resource deployed
for patient benefit
Elimination of processes and tasks within protocols that
have no evidence of patient care benefit
Expand Bystander CPR and HeartSafe Community Efforts
EMS Role in Health Care Reform
▪Health care safety net
▪Improve population health, patient experience while reducing cost
Coordinate EMS system within capabilities of community
funding… providing choices within budget.
Implementing evidenced based technology to reduce cost