EMS is a practice of medicine. A unique practice at that.
Every EMS system is a complex marriage between sound science and the appropriate delivery of that science to a patient in a compassionate, operationally sound way. These Clinical Operating Guidelines defines those areas of practice that support the delivery of sound science to the ill and injured patients we are summoned to care for. In essence, this is the “art” of delivering medical care.
It is important for the individuals and agencies that are part of our EMS system to always focus on providing clinical care that is appropriate for the patients we serve. All providers in our respective systems are credentialed to provide that care and are looked upon as valuable members of the EMS system.
As in any practice of medicine, there are actions that are deemed unacceptable for any provider involved in the medical care of patients. In “our” EMS system, these actions are known as the Five Deadly Sins. If substantiated through a process of appropriate investigation and peer review, any provider found to be involved in any of these actions will be relieved of duty within the system. These actions are:
Falsification of a patient care document
Intentionally withholding care from a patient
Intentionally harming a patient
Providing care while impaired by alcohol or drugs
Failure to remediate and/or participate in required education and/or review
Please familiarize yourself with these Clinical Operating Guidelines. These Guidelines will apply to all providers employed by all agencies who fall under the purview of the System Medical Director. Each agency is only responsible for those individual protocols that apply to their individual agency capabilities.
It should be the intent of all EMS providers to provide the best care possible for the population who depends on us. These Clinical Operating Guidelines are just one aspect of this care. It also takes dedicated EMT’s, paramedics, first responders, and physicians. We feel this accurately describes “our” system.