Emergency Medical Services Board Meeting

February 2, 2005

 

 

Board Members present:                              Bureau Staff:

Tracy Aldrich                                                   Meg Taylor

Steve Bane                                                       Bruce Gordon

Brenda Fellenz                                                  Dan Williams

Troy Haase                                                      Cathy Etter

Don Hunjadi                                                     Brian Litza

Cal Lintz                                                           Ann Moses

Gloria Murawsky                                              Paul Wittkamp

Steve Teale

Travis Teesch

Gloria Wall

Joe Covelli

 

Board Members Absent:

Ken Johnson   

                                                                                                           

Others in Attendance:                                   Representing:

Barb Kuska                                                      Beloit Memorial Hospital

Ann Peggs                                                        PFFW

Allen Hefter                                                      PFFW

Mike Peterson                                                  Divine Savior Hospital, Portage, WI

Todd Van Langen                                             West Bend Fire Dept.

Jan Beyer                                                         UW EMS Program

Shirley Strong                                                   Fox Valley Technical College

Phil Doherty                                                     St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield, WI

Jennifer Roman                                                 Madison Fire Dept.

Joseph Immermann                                           Southwest RTAC, Coordinator

Jerry Haberl                                                     Wisconsin Emergency Management

Don Kimlicka                                                   Gunderson Lutheran

Judy Jones                                                        Luther – Eau Claire

Vickkie Zietlow                                                MidState technical College

Keith Kessler                                                   Douglas County Emergency Management

Jan Victorson                                                   Bayfield County Emergency Management

Gary Leyer                                                       Gateway Technical College

Fred Hornby                                                    Bell Ambulance

Pat Padjen                                                        UW EMS Program

Steve Pilsner                                                     Wausau Fire Department

Mike Jankowski                                               Franklin Fire Department

Mark Fredrickson                                            Gold Cross

Suzanne Martens                                              Sheboygan Co EMS

Mary Austin                                                     Monroe Clinic

Laura Ahola                                                     UW Hospital EMS Program

Kyle Marohl                                                     Plymouth Ambulance

Tracy Froiland                                                  Theda Care/Fox Valley

Larry Knuth                                                      Paratech Ambulance

Jerry Haberl                                                     Wisconsin Emergency Management

Gerry Isbell                                                      Orange Cross Ambulance, Sheboygan

Jack Hill                                                           Gold Cross Ambulance, Fox Valley

Cheryl Glomp                                                   St. Mary’s Hospital

Marvin Birnbaum, MD                                      UW Hospital EMS

 

Agenda item #1 Introductions

Vice-Chair, Gloria Murawsky called the meeting to order at 10:05 AM at the Crowne Plaza, Madison.  Gloria introduced and welcomed the new Board member Joe Covelli and Attendees: Everyone in attendance on the Board and the audience introduced him or herself.

 

Agenda item #2 Approval of November 2004 Meeting Minutes:

 

Motion by Lintz, seconded by Teesch to approve the November Board minutes. Motion carried.

 
Agenda item #3 Committee Updates

The Standing Committees gave their reports.  Included in each standing committee report was a report from any ad hoc committees that are assigned to the standing committee.

 

Executive Committee

 

1.        The main committee did not meet.

 

2.        EMS Partners ad hoc:  Cal Lintz, committee chair stated that the committee reviewed the following issues:

 

a.      The committee reviewed previous issues to determine if more discussion was needed on any of the topics. There was no need to discuss old issues at this time.

 

b.      The Chair Lintz asked Dan Williams, Chief of EMS to highlight the letter that he sent out on January 26, 2005 that provided clarification on several issues that needed further definition or statement of policy. Dan outlined and highlighted the main areas that the letter was intended to deal with. The committee felt that the letter was a very effective way to set the record straight and hope to see more information of this type.

 

c.       The next item was a discussion was TABOR (Taxpayer Bill Of Rights). The committee discussed the overall impact and how it will affect EMS and the services that EMS provides and eventually the impact on patient care. The committee will continue to discuss the impact and be prepared to bring a position statement forward to the full Board when appropriate. May need to work with the legislators to make sure the impact is noted and they have an awareness of the impact.

Education

 

                 Gloria Murawsky reported on the committee meeting, which included:

 

1.      Gloria reported that the committee had completed the Stakeholders survey and it was ready for review action. The office did not send out the survey and will now receive the survey and post it on the EMS website and send it out at the appropriate time.

 

2.  Gloria advised that the process and methods for how the committee will

     approach and deliver the curriculum review is as follows.

a.       Developing the objectives.                                      4/05

b.      Development of Model curriculum.                          6/05

c.       Curriculum rollout.                                                  8/05

d.      Mandatory implementation of new basic curriculum 1/06

 

3. Gloria asked Dan Williams to clarify the issues surrounding the national scope

    scope of practice issues. Dan Stated that it was expect that the next version of

    the document would be much different and more in line with Wisconsin’s

    thinking. Most other States had the same type of comments and concerns as did

    Wisconsin.

 

4. A discussion on what is needed for recommendation for instructor certification         requirements. The issues brought forward were time commitment; cost effectiveness, as well as what other venues that could be used to meet the needs. Some suggested that regional teams with multiple training opportunities to could be used. There is a national trend toward credentialing of instructors. More review will be needed to see if that method needs to be approached for Wisconsin.

 

Policy and Practice & Systems Management Combined Meeting.

 

Don Hunjadi and Cal Lintz co-chaired the meeting reported on the committee

meeting, which included:

 

1.        The main discussion centered on the topic of the Basic EMT Refresher. The committees have previously been discussing and planning with regards to the length and quality or training that is needed as well as the length of time for re-licensure. Several committee members suggested that a four (4) year re-licensure period should be looked. Dan Williams was concerned that the EMS office would have difficulty endorsing this format without proper checks and balances on an annual basis that would assure that consistent education programs are maintained throughout the entire four year period. The committee stated that many formats for education need to be examined, such as, virtual classrooms, web based programs, conferences, etc. It was the consensus that the education can and should be exciting and renewed with a variety of educational formats.

 

It was further discussed that the Education Committee needs to complete their review and revision of the Basic EMT curriculum which will then allow them to make a determination regarding the required and desired elements that should make up the refresher. At the point that those two tasks have been completed the work can then begin as to the types of alternative, non-traditional educational options that can be utilized. This will be conducted by the development of a sub-committee.

 

2.        The proposed National Scope of Practice issue was updated. National EMS Scope of Practice Model would appear to be of concern for many people nationally. The scope committee has received many, many letters of concern and protest to the product. It would appear that the scope committee is moving to minimal criteria as opposed to maximum criteria. More information will be made available as it is released.

 

3.        The Systems committee is also continuing its work on inclusion and exclusion transport criteria for stand alone emergency departments.

 

CQI The committee did not meet.

 

Disaster The committee is reviewing and working on the following:

 

1.      Investigating and informing all EMS related agencies that the NIMS training is coming and it is an unknown amount of hours and there is federal funding available to pay for the courses. A specific discussion was held on the issues surrounding NIMS. Jerry Haberl from WEM was on hand fresh from a National meeting the helped to clarify the requirements. The best news was that the requirements appear to be less than anticipated. Approximately 80% of the EMS responders will be required to take the I-100 course of incident command which is approximately 4-5 hours. Most everyone will need to take the IS-700 course which can be taken online and takes about an hour. There will be other requirement that will continue to be defined in the future.

 

2.      Dan also advised the committee that his office was working with Waukesha County Technical College on a restructured WMD course that would most likely reduce the number of hours from four (4) to two (2). More details will be forthcoming. It is a high priority item so that students don’t need to keep taking the longer course.

 

EMS Injury & Illness Prevention

 

Gloria Wall reported on the following committee meeting actions.

 

1.      The committee plans to further identify its membership to assure the proper mix for the committees planned activities.

 

2.      The committee also needs to identify & strengthen the relationship between Public Health and EMS.

 

3.      LEPC’s (Local Emergency Planning Committee’s) may be the link to getting all of the players to the table for a common platform. 

 

Information Enhancement

 

Dan Williams was asked to chair the committee in the absence of Chairperson Ken Johnson. The committee worked to outline the item that they felt would be the backbone needs of whatever Data Management system/program that would be eventually decided upon. The committee discussed the following.

 

1.      Discussion on the key components from the three RFP’s from other States that the committee reviewed. Again, it was decided that the committee did not have the time or the expertise to actually write the RFP and decided that they would only be involved in recommending key elements.

 

2.      The committee identified the types of reports, collection elements, service needs, compatibility to other existing programs, etc.

 

3.      It was decided to keep working on this process and meet again before the next Board meeting on March 1st.

 

EMS-Children

 

No written report was presented.  Dr. Gordon reported that the EMS-C Board was reviewing their structure and reviewing their strategic plan to help determine the future workload.

 

Physician Advisory Committee (PAC)

 

The PAC did not meet.

 

Agenda item #4 EMS HRSA Disaster plan project

 

Dan advised the Board about the Committee that had been charged with the development of the WEEPP had met twice and completed the charged task of developing the specified plan. Dan Presented the Plan to the Board and requested that they consider approval by exception with a 10 day period, post Board meeting to respond to Dan with issues. The reason for the request was because of the HRSA deadline of March 31, 2005 and the fact that the Board would not meet again prior to the deadline. Motion by Lintz, second by Teesch, to approve the WEEPP by exception with comments due to Dan by February 16, 2005. Motion Carried. Dan also asked for help with the development of the training tool for the WEEPP. The EMS Alliance has offered to assist in the process and will meet with Dan and office staff after the Board meeting to discuss the format.

 

Agenda item #5 Legislative Issues:
 
There were no legislative issues pending at this time that have direct EMS impact. There was a discussion regarding TABOR that was similar to the discussion that was held in the Partners meeting. (Please note the above EMS Partners report)
 
Agenda item #6 State Office Issues:
 
Dan introduced Cathy Etter the new Paramedic Coordinator and Brain Litza the new IV-Tech/Intermediate Coordinator. Dan also advised the Board that Helen Pullen had been moved from a part-time to a full-time position within the Bureau with specific assignment responsibilities to EMS. Dan is very pleased to have full staffing and thanked Bureau Director Meg Taylor for her commitment and hard work to filling the vacant positions in a very difficult time.

 

Agenda item #7 Old/New Business

 

  1. Cal Lintz announced that the PFFW had hosted a hospitality room on Tuesday night for the opportunity to foster further relationships.

 

  1. Dan took this opportunity to officially recognize Dr. Marv Birnbaum for his tireless dedication to the EMS Advisory Board. Dr. Birnbaum was one of the original appointees and has not been present at the previous meetings since he was replaced on the Board for them to recognize his contributions.

 

Agenda item #8 Nominations/Election EMS Board Chairperson: Nominations for the position of Board Chair were opened. Travis Teesch nominated Steve Bane. Motion by Aldrich, second by Haase to cast a unanimous ballot for Steve Bane for EMS Advisory Board Chair. Motion carried.

 

Agenda item #9 Nominations/Election EMS Board Vice-Chairperson. Nominations for the position of Board Vice-Chair were opened. Gloria Murawsky nominated Cal Lintz. Motion by, Aldrich, second by, Teesch to cast a unanimous ballot for Cal Lintz for EMS Advisory Board Vice-Chairperson.

 

Agenda item #10 Other Board Related Issues.

 

No other issues were brought before the Board at this time.

 

Agenda item #11 Adjournment.

 

Motion by Haase, Second by, Aldrich to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 11:30 AM.