| During
the week of September 6, 1999, a Technical Assistance Team
(TAT), funded by the Alaska
Highway Safety Planning Agency,
and coordinated by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration's EMS Division,
visited Anchorage to perform a reassessment of the state's
Emergency Medical Services program. The Alaska EMS program
was initially assessed by a TAT in 1992.
The purpose
of the Technical Assistance Team program is to bring a small
group of experts to a state to evaluate its EMS program based
on accepted
national standards (.pdf) related to the following
components:
- Regulation
and Policy;
- Resource
Management;
- Human Resources
and Training;
- Transportation;
- Facilities;
- Communications;
- Public Information,
Education and Prevention;
- Medical
Direction;
- Trauma Systems;
and
- Evaluation.
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|
The
team read extensive briefing materials and listened intently
to approximately one and a half days of testimony from Alaska
EMS experts providing information on the system's characteristics,
strengths and weaknesses. The process was comprehensive
and intense.
After
listening to testimony on each of the components, the team
completed a final report which provided its recommendations
for improving the state's emergency medical services system.
The completed report was delivered verbally prior to the team's
departure and was provided in written and electronic forms
approximately two weeks after the team's visit.
Click here to download
a copy of the final report (Adobe Acrobat Reader format).
The 1999 reassessment
team was composed of an eclectic group of EMS experts, several
of whom had been members of the initial 1992 assessment.
The team's efforts were coordinated by Susan McHenry, an EMS
Specialist with the NHTSA EMS Division (Susan participated
in the 1992 Alaska assessment while working as EMS Director
for the State of Virginia). Administrative support to
the team was provided by Janice Simmons, of the NHTSA EMS
staff, in Washington.
Team members
included:
- Bob Bailey,
former North Carolina EMS Director and Past President of
the National Association of State EMS Directors.
- Gail Cooper,
Public Health Administrator (specializing in EMS), San Diego
County, California.
- Dan Manz,
Vermont EMS Director and Past President of the National
Association of State EMS Directors.
- Stuart Reynolds,
MD, Trauma Surgeon, Havre, Montana.
- John Sacra,
MD, FACEP, Medical Director, Medical Control Board, Tulsa
Oklahoma.
Acknowledgements:
The Alaska EMS Unit expresses its appreciation to Karen Peterson,
of Southern
Region EMS Council, Inc.,
for her meeting coordination efforts, to Romayne Kareen and
the Alaska Highway Safety Planning Agency for funding and
oversight of the TAT reassessment process, and to the many
presenters who provided candid, credible and comprehensive
information to the team during its visit. |
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