DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Our mission is to:

1. Identify the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion among NYS EMS providers
2. Administer a survey to gather baseline data on:
   1. Diversity
   2. Inclusion and Belonging
   3. Harmful Experiences (actions and microaggressions)
   4. Informing Actions
3. Analyze the survey results
4. Draft recommendations based on the survey findings

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Our mission is to provide educational oversight and guidance to the SEMSCO and Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems (BEMSATS); including, but not limited to educational standards, certification courses and scope of practice/protocols.

EMS INNOVATIONS

Our mission is to study and support a cost-effective, evidence-based, and collaborative EMS system that provides the best care for all patient's needs. We recognize that many people who seek emergency room care have health issues compounded by significant social, mental health, and physical needs that may be met more effectively in non-traditional care locations. Offering EMS providers, the flexibility to address these needs through innovative approaches and sustainable payment models that will best meet the needs patient population served.

Deliverables:

• Provide SEMAC and SEMSCO with best practices for the delivery of evidence-based alternative care models.
• Provide agency leadership with information for financially sustaining alternative care models.
• Establish a framework for innovative care models.
• Identify means through stakeholders for collaboration to deliver innovative care models and make recommendations on how to accomplish this.

FINANCE

Our committee studies the implications of finance and funding on the delivery of emergency medical services and the training of emergency medical service providers in New York State. This includes data collection, analysis, discussion, and making recommendations on fiscal policy issues.

LEGISLATIVE

Our committee is charged with reviewing Senate and Assembly Legislative Bills relating to EMS that are intended to improve and or enhance the delivery of before hospital patient care across the State of New York. The Committee agenda is formulated by the Chair after input is requested from members of the committee representing EMS Agencies across the state. Controversial Bills that may be helpful to some agencies while potentially harming others are discouraged as agenda items and Bills isolated to a specific part of the state fail to meet statewide consideration. Bills on the agenda can either be categorized as one to watch for future information, no action taken or approved by a majority vote to be introduced by the committee chair at the SEMSCO meeting, as a seconded motion for consideration. Approval by SEMSCO results in the DOH Bureau of EMS and Trauma staff, after further review, sending the Bill to the Commissioner of Health for consideration.

MEDICAL STANDARDS

Our committee ensures that residents and visitors to NYS receive quality evidenced based pre-hospital care in their time of need.

What we do:

• Review regional protocols for compliance with current State policy and procedures, and evidence-based pre-hospital medicine.
• Make recommendations to regions about their proposed protocols.
• Approve regional protocols and forward to the SEMAC for discussion and vote.
• Review and approve pre-hospital research, pilot projects and demonstration projects.

QUALITY METRICS

Our committee is focused on empowering EMS leaders, agencies, and providers to enhance the delivery of care through evidence-based and patient-centered metrics.

We will do this by:

• Recommending and advising the NYS DOH BEMS on development and implementation of a living statewide quality improvement system
• Working with the NYS DOH BEMS to establish evidence-based and patient-centric quality measures
• Developing a Quality Improvement Manual for the NYS DOH BEMS
• Developing and promoting educational opportunities on Quality Improvement
• Collaborating with the NYS DOH BEMS Data & Informatics Committee to present information for quality improvement initiatives
• Creating and delivering an annual report delivered at the Vital Signs Conference on the State of the State based on Quality Metrics

SAFETY

Our mission shall be to promote a culture of safety within the EMS community to reduce and where possible prevent injury to our providers and the people whom we serve. Safety must be a concern for all agencies and providers, and we will work to preserve a 'Just Culture' approach to improving safety within the EMS workplace, utilizing engineering, education and encouragement to achieve our goals.

SYSTEMS

Our mission is to work with stakeholders to develop regulations, best-practices, and guidance to improve and expand the EMS system across New York State. The committee will work with the Regional EMS Councils improve the Certificate of Need (CON) process and handle CON appeals