Agenda 01/11/2011 Item # 5D
Agenda Item No. 5D
January 11, 2011
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BOTTOM-LINE RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR
PREHOSPIT AL EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT AND TRANSPORT
(PEMTT) SERVICES
PREFACE
Collier County, Florida is one of the best places in America to live, work and visit.
Daily, we have at least 1,294 public safety professionals (662 Sheriffs Deputies in law
enforcement, 632 Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Service Officers.. .246 of which are
Paramedics) on call to risk their lives to help, protect and serve us.
The Panel producing this report, over and over again during the past year of its study, was
impressed and regularly gratified by the evidence that all these professionals are dedicated,
focused, and conscientious. They work hard to immediately help us during our most vulnerable
moments.
The data shows clear results.
Our prehospital emergency medical treatment and transport (PEMTT) professionals enjoy
national praise. And, we enjoy living in one of the safest and healthiest communities in America.
National studies rank Collier County as the generally healthiest county in Florida. And, we have
the best cardiology services in Florida.
Moreover, Collier County residents have the highest life expectancy in Florida and the fourth
highest life expectancy in the United States.
And, we want to keep it that way.
The report is dedicated to praising our "best and brightest" PEMTT professionals and
recommending ways in which we can improve the system that supports them. Shifting
demographics, medical advances, technological leaps.. .all dictate that we craft our future by
expertly managing our resources. This report recommends ways in which we all, our
professionals and our citizens, together can continue to be an even healthier, safer community.
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Agenda Item No. 5D
January 11, 2011
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RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The Board of County Commissioners should designate and delegate authority and
responsibility for all PEMTT services to a Public Safety Authority.
2. Reappoint the medical director to report to the designated Public Safety Authority. The
Panel strongly suggests that the medical director work closely with the leaders of the three
hospitals' emergency departments serving Collier County (NCH, PRHS, and Lee Memorial
trauma departments.)
3. Establish a PEMTT Council to report to the designated Public Safety Authority, chaired by
a hospital administrator. Under the guidance of the designated Public Safety Authority, the
medical director, in collaboration with the directors of the emergency departments of the
NCH, Lee Memorial Trauma Center and PRHS, will promulgate all PEMTT personnel
training, quality initiatives, credentialing and testing. Membership on the Council to include
representatives from fire districts, the public and outside independent experts.
4. Outsource all test design, administration, evaluation and dispute resolution to professionals
at a local college or university to insure independence and objectivity.
5. The designated Public Safety Authority should propose administrative procedures and
policy to the Board of County Commissioners after thorough vetting of such by the Council.
The Board of County Commissioners should set general policy; the designated Public Safety
Authority should implement and manage the system; The Board of County Commissioners
should evaluate the clinical and financial efficacy of all proposed procedures and policies.
6. With guidance and advice from the PEMTT Council and delegated authority and
responsibility from the Board of County Commissioners, the designated Public Safety
Authority should lead development of a five-year strategic plan...with a required three-year
audit provision... to provide collegial oversight for all involved in establishing a refreshed
PEMTT model for county-wide PEMTT services
7. Establish a two-tiered county-wide PEMTT model:
. Tier One = Timely delivery of Basic Life Support (BLS) Services
. Tier Two = Timely delivery of Advanced Life Support (ALS) Services
8. Mandate that ail agencies providing ALS services also provide patient transport to
hospitals.
9. Establish a mandatory Automatic Electric Defibrillator (AED) placement and training
program for all staff at appropriate public locations. Effective and efficient AED execution
must be countywide priority involving all facets of the public and private sectors.
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Agenda Item No. 50
January 11, 2011
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10. Encourage discussion of functional consolidation of fire servIce districts in Collier
County and expert reallocation of resources in response to current demographics and
professional standards, utilizing the county's Productivity Committee to comprehensively
study and review all costs and potential service enhancements.
11. Encourage consideration of a pilot project aimed at a functional integration of county
EMS personnel into the fire service districts. To do so, the pilot districts would utilize
position control administration to manage the optimal assignment of Paramedic and EMT
positions and also the possible use of smaller, lighter ambulances to be used in certain non-
ALS required response situations.
12. Encourage all PEMTT agencies within fire service agencies to collaborate in order to
develop common response protocols.
13. Encourage all PEMTT agencies to collaborate to designate one leader to be the one voice
for all PEMTT treatment and transport matters conducted BY fire services operating in
Collier County.
14. Mandate that all PEMTT vehicles be equipped with standardized life saving equipment
COMP A TlBLE with AREA hospital emergency department equipment and supplies.
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The Panel
Geoffrey Moebius, Chair-Blue Ribbon Panel
Community Liaison and Past CEO, Physicians Regional Healthcare System
Edward A. Morton, Vice Chair-Blue Ribbon Panel
Partner & Managing Director, Wasmer Schroeder & Company, Inc.
Past CEO, NCH Healthcare System
Patricia Barton, Community Leader
Edward Boyer, Retired Healthcare System Executive
Russell Budd, President, Wall Systems Inc. of Southwest Florida
Joseph Gauta, M.D., Past President, Collier County Medical Society
Michael V. Reagen, Ph.D., President, The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce
& Leadership Collier Foundation, Inc.
EMS and Fire Chiefs. Assistant Chiefs and Firefi2:hters
Jorge Aguilera, Deputy Chief of Medical Services and Community Relations
North Naples Fire Control & Rescue District
Dan Bowman, Deputy Chief, Collier County Emergency Medical Services
Chris Byrne, Deputy Chief, City of Marco Island Fire-Rescue District
Steve Mclnerny, Chief, City of Naples Fire District
Robert Metzger, Chief, Golden Gate Fire District
Jeff Page, Chief, Collier County Emergency Medical Services
Agenda Item No. 5D
January 11, 2011
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Dan Summers, Executive Director, Collier County Department of Emergency Management
Eric Watson, Firefighter, Big Corkscrew Fire District
Wayne Watson, Deputy Chief, Collier County Emergency Medical Services
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Agenda Item No. 5D
January 11, 2011
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Hospital Leaders
Joseph Bernard, Chief Operating Officer, Physicians Regional Healthcare System - Collier Boulevard
Phillip Dutcher, Chief Operating Officer, NCH Healthcare System, Inc.
Chris Lee, M.D., Associate Medical Director, Collier County Emergency Medical Services
Hospital Emer2encv Department Phvsicians
Todd D. Bethel, M.D., Emergency Medicine, Naples Community Hospital
John P. Lewis, M.D., ER Physician Director, Naples Community Hospital
John W. Zelahy, M.D., Emergency Medicine/Internal MedicIne
Physicians Regional Hospital- Pine Ridge Road
Robert Tober, M.D., Medical Director, Collier County Emergency Medical Services
Florida Gulf Coast Universitv
Lisa Zidek, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University
Collier Countv Sheriff's Office
Jim Bloom, Chief of Operations, Collier County Sheriff's Office
Deborah Chester, Manager of Planning & Research, Collier County Sheriff's Office
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Agenda Item No. 5D
January 11, 2011
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COLLIER COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Meeting Date:
5D
This item to be heard at 10:00 a.m. Presentation of the Blue Ribbon Panel Report regarding
Prehospital Emergency Medical Treatment and Transport (PEMTT) System.
1/11/2011 9:00:00 AM
Item Number:
Item Summary:
Approved By
Leo E. Ochs, Jr.
County Manager
Date
County Managers Office
County Managers Office
1/4/2011 3:05 PM