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Emergency Medical Services Section

Updates and Action Items

HHS Announces New HIPAA Regulations

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released its massive update of the HIPAA regulations. These changes will take effect on March 26, 2013, and healthcare providers must be in full compliance with these regulations by September 23, 2013. A few brief highlights of the new regulations include:

• Expanded breach notification standard creates a wider definition of security breach, thus prompting more frequent patient notifications
• Expanded definition of entities and business associates who must comply with HIPAA regulations
• Expanded patient right to access electronic copies of their personal health information (PHI)
• Increased restrictions on use and disclosure of PHI

The new HIPAA regulations come as a result of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HI-TECH Act), which passed as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5). The HI-TECH Act was created to promote the adoption of improved health information technology.

To see the complete list of HIPAA regulations and changes, please see the publication of the new regulations in the Federal Register.

Heart Safe Community Award Nominations Accepted Until April 1, 2013

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 Heart Safe Community Award. For more information and to download a nomination form, please see the Awards page.

EMS Section Executive Board Elections

The nominations period to run for office on the EMS Section Executive Board will begin on February 4, 2013 and will close on March 8, 2013. Voting will be open to all EMS Section members from March 18, 2013 through April 5, 2013. The election results will be announced at Fire Rescue Med on May 5, 2013. For more information on running or the election process, please see the EMS Section Candidate Manual (pdf). 

HHS Clarifies Patient Outcome Information Sharing

HHS has responded to requests to clarify HIPAA implications for sharing patient outcome information for EMS quality improvement purposes. This letter from the Department of Health and Human Services (pdf) outlines when patient information can be shared between EMS agencies and healthcare providers in order to improve overall quality of care.

EMS Section On Scene Column

July 15- What's in a Name?
Learn more about the Chief EMS Officer designation

Letter on Drug Shortages Affecting EMS Sent to Congress

The IAFC, working with the EMS Section and other national EMS-related organizations, sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee members and Senate HELP Committee members to raise awareness that drug shortages are affecting EMS agencies. Both the House letter (pdf) and the Senate letter (pdf) asks the respective committees to keep in mind the need to improve access of life-saving, not just life-sustaining, medications emergency patients receive through EMS agencies before delays and disruptions in patient care become more widespread with adverse consequences.  While the drug shortages may be an urgent issue for hospitals and healthcare facilities, a crisis level has already been breached for EMS systems and the patients we serve. Legislation to address the drug shortage issue is expected to move through both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate HELP Committee during April.

IAFC Adopts Position Statement on National Drug Shortage

The IAFC Board of Directors has adopted a position statement on U.S.-wide trends of fire departments and EMS agencies experiencing critical shortages of drugs that are used to save the lives of patients that may be suffering from trauma or a medical emergency. The IAFC Position Statement on the National Drug Shortage (pdf) calls on the American fire service to make addressing the national drug shortage a top priority.

The position was brought forward to the IAFC leadership by the IAFC EMS Section following extensive research and discussions with local and national stakeholders.

“A solution must be found; paramedics must have the crucial and necessary drugs to save the lives of their patients,” said Chief Gary Ludwig, chair of the IAFC EMS Section.

Read the full news release and review the IAFC position statement (pdf) on the national drug shortage.

2012 EMS Section Election Update

The nomination period for running in the 2012 EMS Section executive board election closed on March 9. This year, the vice chair, secretary and director-at-large positions were open for nomination and election. The candidates for 2012 are as follows:

• Vice Chair: Chief David Becker (Ret.) – uncontested
• Secretary: Chief Mike Metro – uncontested
• Director-at-Large: Chief Norris Croom – uncontested

With no contested elections, the candidates will be installed during the EMS Section business meeting at Fire Rescue Med 2012.

Section Contributes to the National EMS Memorial Service 

“The EMS Section of the IAFC is honored to participate in this worthy cause and we support the mission of the National EMS Memorial Service because the death of any EMS professional in the performance of their duties is a tragic loss, and they should be recognized and honored,” said Deputy Chief Gary Ludwig, chair of the EMS Section. Read the full news release.

The IAFC EMS Section

• Is a forum that addresses fire service based-EMS issues.
• Provides guidance and direction to the IAFC board and membership on fire service EMS issues.
• Represents fire service-based EMS issues to the federal government and other interest groups.

The Section is one of the IAFC’s largest sections with over 1,300 members... More