OCFA to try Private Paramedics for 911 Transport

[Medic496]

Sharing an article from the Voice Of OC. New Fire Chief of OCFA contemplating a pilot in which private paramedics working for the 911 ambulance transport provider accompany the patient to the hospital so that the FD can go back into service for another immediate response.

A new and interesting concept.

http://www.voiceofoc.org/healthy_co...cle_8b672082-80f4-11e4-8096-fb82076e93d1.html

Does the model work anywhere else?

 

[JPINFV]

Does the model work anywhere else?

Show me... "Places not named Orange County, CA."

 

[CentralCalEMT]

Sharing an article from the Voice Of OC. New Fire Chief of OCFA contemplating a pilot in which private paramedics working for the 911 ambulance transport provider accompany the patient to the hospital so that the FD can go back into service for another immediate response.

A new and interesting concept.

http://www.voiceofoc.org/healthy_co...cle_8b672082-80f4-11e4-8096-fb82076e93d1.html

Does the model work anywhere else?

The model does work other places. Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Santa Clara County, San Diego County, and in hundreds of other communities in dozens of other states. It is sad how many decades behind OC EMS is. It is not progressive in any way, shape, or form. It is just a small step in catching up with the times.

 

[gonefishing]

Ah so thats why the care bears are rushing to hire medics!
Well stiff competition when you have several als providers established. AMR, Rural Metro, Mc cormick, Schaefer its gonna be a big fight.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

"Ground breaking"

OC is so perverted, the chief is quoted saying that 2 fire medics on an engine is in the best interest of the patient.

 

[gonefishing]

"Ground breaking"

OC is so perverted, the chief is quoted saying that 2 fire medics on an engine is in the best interest of the patient.

Wtf? LOL I've seen one private medic do wonders. That's just the union talking.

 

[Tigger]

A new and interesting concept.

Lulz.

 

[gonefishing]

Show me... "Places not named Orange County, CA."

LA county too!

 

[usalsfyre]

Sharing an article from the Voice Of OC. New Fire Chief of OCFA contemplating a pilot in which private paramedics working for the 911 ambulance transport provider accompany the patient to the hospital so that the FD can go back into service for another immediate response.

A new and interesting concept.

http://www.voiceofoc.org/healthy_co...cle_8b672082-80f4-11e4-8096-fb82076e93d1.html

Does the model work anywhere else?

The entire rest of the country. Literally the whole rest of the country. There are even (horror of horrors) places where private or third service agencies are the lead providers on all EMS calls.

 

[PotatoMedic]

The entire rest of the country. Literally the whole rest of the country. There are even (horror of horrors) places where private or third service agencies are the lead providers on all EMS calls.

 

[Mufasa556]

So, while OCFA responds Code 3, will the private ALS crew respond Code 2 to the call like the current BLS crews do? That would the Orange County I know so well.

 

[FoleyArtist]

Ah so thats why the care bears are rushing to hire medics!
Well stiff competition when you have several als providers established. AMR, Rural Metro, Mc cormick, Schaefer its gonna be a big fight.

I doubt there will be competition I've been on both sides of the looking glass and worked for AMR and R/M. Falck will sweep OC. I think current rumors, since they can't be substantiated yet is Care won all the bids except Emergency's zone. OC and Care ties run deep. Its like when everyone thought CARE would get riverside county and AMR kept it, and even R/M employees in SD thought they'd lose SD city but won another year. Each had a long standing working history in their respective city.

I predict CARE will have the private medic pilot. Because the county loves CARE and CARE has the infrastructure. I bet the county will bog down the politics til CARE gets their ALS game together. Then again what do i know i'm not a business man i'm a gurney jock.

 

[JPINFV]

I'm surprised that Doctors is losing their Southern OC contracts. At least when I was down there (granted, its been a while), Doctors was pretty solid with their contracts as well.

 

[Christopher]

Does the model work anywhere else?

You're a funny guy. I like you.

What about the reverse question: Does OC's model work?

Also a funny question!

 

[drjekyl75]

The entire rest of the country. Literally the whole rest of the country. There are even (horror of horrors) places where private or third service agencies are the lead providers on all EMS calls.

The entire county I work in is Private EMS only. Due to a huge reduction in the tax base the last fire run EMS municipality ended about 6 years ago!

 

[sweetpete]

The education to get hired on a private outfit is the same as the education to get hired at a fire department (with the exception of fire academy). So, why not? The only difference is experience in a 911-style environment. But that's nothing that a good FTO and some serious pride in the job won't fix!! As a FF/medic, it's my belief that if we're serious about patient care, then I don't care who shows up as long as they care as much and have the same EMS training as I do!

 

[Angel]

It's like a 1 year process with a million hoops to jump through to get hired at a fire dept.
Especially in CA
Good candidates will never be given a fair shake because x,y,z in their past that has little to no bearing on how they are now or their ability to provide excellent patient care
They are simply not the same
I won't even get into the number of fire medics that don't even want to be medics in the first place

 

[Medic496]

Thank you all for the comments. Competency and professionalism are the two most ingredients of success. Whether a Paramedic is a FF or not is irrelevant. A Paramedic is a licensed medical professional regardless of the employer.

With the continued development of the NEMSIS 3 data set and all EMS providers now or soon to be required to go an ePCR, the data will start to fill in the blanks. If and when the LEMSAs in CA start comparing their providers and making the data public we'll truly see how the ALS providers are doing. Data and quality assurance will begin to become the norm. If a paramedic cannot perform at community benchmark standards, they can be retrained and put on an improvement program or go back to being an EMT.

It's not about turf, it's healthcare for our communities.

 

[gonefishing]

It's not about turf, it's healthcare for our communities.

Try telling that to the IAFF

 

[DrParasite]

So, while OCFA responds Code 3, will the private ALS crew respond Code 2 to the call like the current BLS crews do? That would the Orange County I know so well.

slightly off topic, but what's the difference between Code 3 and Code 2? and what's the difference between Code 2 and Code 1?

I always thought it was lights and sirens on, or lights and sirens off, nothing in between.