Best EMS Organizations

[thegreypilgrim]

I know a similar thread was made in the past, but I was hoping with the moderator's permission this could be turned into a sticky thread. What I was thinking we'd do is make a comprehensive list of the EMS organizations with the best reputations as far as working conditions, clinical progressiveness, etc. and sort them by type (i.e. private, fire-based, third service, flight, etc.). I'll start.

Private
REMSA - Reno, NV
Acadian Ambulance - LA, TX, MS
EMSA - Tulsa, OK
CareFlight - DFW, TX

Hospital-Based
North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center - NYC, NY
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center - Jamaica, NY
NewYork Presbyterian - NYC, NY
New Jersey University Hospital - Newark, NJ

Third Service
King County Medic One - Kent, WA
Boston - Boston, MA
Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, PA
Honolulu - Oahu, HI
Austin-Travis County - Austin, TX
Lee County EMS - Ft. Myers, FL
MedStar - Fort Worth, TX

Fire-Based
Seattle - Seattle, WA

Aeromedical
PHI Air Medical - National
Mercy Flights - Medford, OR
Life Flight Network - OR, WA, ID
MidAtlantic Medevac - Philadelphia, PA
Mercy Flight Central - Canandaigua, NY
Boston MedFlight - Boston, MA
STAR Flight - Austin, TX

International
Ambulance Service of New South Wales - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Queensland Ambulance Service - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Australian Capital Territory Ambulance Service - Canberra, ACT, Australia
Ambulance Victoria - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
South Australia Ambulance Service - Adelaide, SA, Australia
Ambulance Tasmania - Hobart, TAS, Australia
St. John's Ambulance Services - International but this links to New Zealand
Wellington Free Ambulance - Wellington, NZ
NHS Ambulance Trusts - United Kingdom
Netcare911 - South Africa (Gauteng, Northwest Province, Limpopo, Mpumulanga, Free State, KZN, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape)
Metro EMS - Cape Town, South Africa

 

[Shishkabob]

What are you using as your definition of 'private'? Does private encompass for profit and not-for profit?


MedStar is technically a public utility model agency. Same with EMSA and REMSA.

 

[thegreypilgrim]

What are you using as your definition of 'private'? Does private encompass for profit and not-for profit?

Yes.

MedStar isn't private, it's a public utility model agency. Same with EMSA and REMSA.

Looks like I C/P'd MedStar into the wrong spot, thanks for that. I consider EMSA and REMSA private since the former contracts with Paramedics Plus and the latter is an NPO.

 

[Shishkabob]

That's technically what a public utility model agency is though... they contract out the day-to-day operations to companies. Rural/Metro ran MedStars daily ops till 2005.


Montgomery County EMS, here in Texas, is also well known throughout the state for aggressiveness and fairness to employees.

Ditto with Cypress Creek EMS. (Jerks do a 24/72 with $45k starting... grr)


Champion EMS and ETMC EMS, both in East Texas, tend to have decent like-ness by their employees, though Champion is more progressive/aggressive protocol wise. Both are technically not-for-profit hospital based systems.

 

[thegreypilgrim]

That's technically what a public utility model agency is though... they contract out the day-to-day operations to companies. Rural/Metro ran MedStars daily ops till 2005.

Yeah I know, but I'm considering them as private since the services are not provided by the local government directly.

Montgomery County EMS, here in Texas, is also well known throughout the state for aggressiveness and fairness to employees.

Ditto with Cypress Creek EMS. (Jerks do a 24/72 with $45k starting... grr)


Champion EMS and ETMC EMS, both in East Texas, tend to have decent like-ness by their employees, though Champion is more progressive/aggressive protocol wise. Both are technically not-for-profit hospital based systems.

Thanks man!

 

[emt junkie]

I would like to add Life Air Rescue out of Shrevport. Always been a fast response and their air crews have always been very pleasant to deal with on scene.

 

[Scott33]

What I was thinking we'd do is make a comprehensive list of the EMS organizations with the best reputations as far as working conditions, clinical progressiveness, etc. and sort them by type

Is this based on what has been posted on this forum from an employee perspective? Or does 'best reputation' extend to patient satisfaction reports, response times, profit margins, investment in research and clinical development etc?

Either way, glad I have made the list already :beerchug:

 

[thegreypilgrim]

Is this based on what has been posted on this forum from an employee perspective? Or does 'best reputation' extend to patient satisfaction reports, response times, profit margins, investment in research and clinical development etc?

Basically all of the above.

Either way, glad I have made the list already :beerchug:

Congrats!

 

[sir.shocksalot]

I would add Airlife Denver to the aeromedical side, they were named 2010 AAMS flight program of the year.

I would also add Denver Health Paramedic Division, they are often involved in clinical trials of new prehospital treatments. They are currently doing a trial for Droperidol, and have done trials in the past for PolyHeme.

 

[ArcticKat]

Mine is the best.

You may lock the thread now.

 

[usafmedic45]

PHI Air Medical - National

LOL That's a little too broad. It's a bit like saying "US Airways Express is a really great commuter airline!" when there are about six different companies actually operating under it. Nice try though....

 

[Flight-LP]

LOL That's a little too broad. It's a bit like saying "US Airways Express is a really great commuter airline!" when there are about six different companies actually operating under it. Nice try though....

Careful buddy!

PSA was my first (and only!) regional commuter job.............

 

[usafmedic45]

Nothing against them....just saying that making generalizations like that is generally a bad idea.

I would add Airlife Denver to the aeromedical side, they were named 2010 AAMS flight program of the year.

Let's not forget the wonderful Duracell commercials about flying around thunderstorms with NVGs.... I put about as much faith in the AAMS as I do in the Republican Party picking a sane person for the nomination this year.

 

[ArcticKat]

I put about as much faith in the AAMS as I do in the Republican Party picking a sane person for the nomination this year.

But you're still gonna vote for them again, aren't you?

 

[usafmedic45]

But you're still gonna vote for them again, aren't you?

Eh....I'll vote for whichever person I think is less dangerous. If the choice is Perry versus Obama, I'll go with Obama. Perry's a little too paranoid, dictatorial and seccesionist for my liking.

 

[medicsb]

Places that I've generally heard good things about:

Saint's Paramedics (aka Greater Lowel EMS - a hospital based ALS service), Lowell, MA

Worcester EMS (operated by UMass Memorial Medical Center), Worcester, MA

New Castle County EMS (County-based ALS in Delaware)

Whatcom County Medic One (Fire based service in WA)

In NJ, its tough to tell who's "the best" as all services seem to have their problems. More research has come out of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital EMS than any other, I think. They're aggressive and have a physician responder. I've never heard anyone who works for them say anything bad about them.

 

[medicdan]

How about Professional Ambulance in Cambridge, MA? They are a private, but hold only one 911 contract, and have built it from the ground up for 30 years. They have a highly respected paramedic program, and teach courses internationally.

 

[EMTSTUDENT25]

Although I've never worked for them, I would like to add Vanderbilt Lifeflight (Nashville) to the list.

 

[Handsome Robb]

I'm glad to be the newest employee to a top rated company Now just gotta make it through my TAI then finish school then my TAP.

I would also add Denver Health Paramedic Division

I'll second this. Never heard anything but good things about them. I would love to work for them one day.

 

[Fish]

Private

Had a hard time with this one..........

EMSA in Tulsa/Oka City
Sunstar Paramedics

Hospital Based

Denver Health

Third Service

Williamson County EMS- Tx (Great Pay, Benefits and very low turnover. Very Progressive and an excellent Rep. for Clinical excellence)
Montgomery County EMS- Tx (Great Pay, Benefits and very low turnover. Very Progressive and an excellent Rep. for Clinical excellence)
Austin-Travis County EMS (Good Pay and Benefits, However they tend to have generally unhappy employess, and are run to the ground)
Boston EMS
Pittsburg EMS
New Castle County EMS- DE
Sussex County EMS- DE

Fire Based

Consensus is there is only one
Seatles Medic One (King County)