Chapter 1 EMS Systems Flashcards
Emergency Medical Service (EMS)
A multidisciplinary system that represents the combined efforts of several professionals and agencies to provide prehospital emergency care to the sick and injured
Certification
A process in which a person, and institution, or a program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain predetermined standards to provide same and ethical care
Licensure
The process whereby a competent authority, usually a state, allows people to perform a regulated act
Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
The first trained professional, such as a police officer, fire fighters, lifeguard, or other rescuer, to arrive at the scene of an emergency to provide initial medical assistance
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
An individual who has trained in basic life support, including automated external defibrillation, use of a definitive airway adjunct, and assisting patients with certain medications
Advanced EMT (AEMT)
An individual who has training in specific aspects of advanced life support, such as intravenous therapy, and the administration of certain emergency medications
Paramedic
An individual that has extensive training in advanced life support, including endotracheal intubation, emergency pharmacology, cardiac monitoring, and other advanced assessment and treatment skills
Advanced Life Support (ALS)
Advanced lifesaving procedures, some of which are now being provided by the EMT
Intravenous (IV) therapy
the delivery of medication directly into a vein
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Comprehensive legislation that is designed to protect people with disabilities against discrimination
National EMS Scope of Practice Model
A document created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that outlines the skills performed by various EMS providers
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
A device that detects treatable life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias (ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) and delivers the appropriate electrical shock to the patient
Public Safety Access Point
A call center, staffed by trained personnel who are responsible for managing requests for police, fire, and ambulance services
Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD)
A system that assists dispatchers in selecting appropriate units to respond to a particular call for assistance and provides callers with vital instructions until the arrival of EMS crews
Primary Service Area (PSA)
The designated area in which the EMS agency is responsible for the provisions of prehospital emergency care and transportation to the hospital
Medical Director
The physician who authorizes or delegates to the EMT the authority to provide medical care in the field
Medical Control
Physicians instructions given directly by radio or cell phone (online/direct) or indirectly by protocol/guidelines (offline/indirect), as authorized by the medical director of the service program
Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH)
A method of delivering health care which involves providing health care within the community rather than at a physician’s office or hospital
Community Paramedicine
A health care model in which experienced paramedics receive advanced training to equip them to provide additional services in the prehospital environment, such as health evaluations, monitoring of chronic illnesses or condition, and patient advocacy
Quality Control
The responsibility of the medical director to ensure the appropriate medical care standards are met by EMTs on each call
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
A system of internal and external reviews and audits of all aspects of an EMS system
Public Health
Focused on examining the health needs of entire populations with the goal of preventing health problems
Primary Prevention
Efforts to prevent an injury or illness from ever occuring
Secondary Prevention
Efforts to limit the effects of an injury or illness that you cannot completely prevent
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Federal legislation passed in 1996. Its main effect in EMS is in limiting availability of patients’ health care information and penalizing violations of patient privacy
