Hundreds of emergency and mobile health care professionals will soon assemble on Capitol Hill to educate Congress on their challenges in providing quality patient care to their communities and in obtaining needed resources to prepare for public health emergencies and other mass casualty incidents.
Now in its sixth year, EMS On The Hill Day will bring delegates from more than 40 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to discuss the essential role of Emergency Medical Services in our nation's changing health care system. EMS is uniquely positioned to support the transformation of health care to improve value, outcomes, patient experience and the health of populations, as well as reduce the per capita cost of health care. EMS provides highly reliable patient assessment and intervention at any hour of any day in response to urgent or unscheduled episodes of illness or injury. EMS helps contain health care costs by navigating patients down medically appropriate and cost-effective pathways.
EMS On The Hill Day is hosted by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, supported by national and state EMS organizations and draws a diverse EMS representation including practitioners, managers, educators and physicians. It enables EMS professionals to meet face-to-face with federal legislators to discuss issues that impact their ability to respond to daily 911 calls or prepare for the increased threats to our nation.
For more information on EMS On The Hill Day, visit http://www.naemt.org or call 585-203-4820. Also, connect with NAEMT on Facebook and Twitter to follow the chatter about #EMSHD.
Kathleen Taormina, Clinton, Miss.