Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
April 03, 2004

Paula Kempf, Manager
Emergency Medical Services Unit
Telephone: 573-751-6356

Emergency medical services part of coordinated system of care

Thanks to the popular TV show, "ER", Missourians are more familiar with hospital emergency departments. Indeed, emergency medical services are easily recognized when one sees vehicles or helicopters responding to incidents in the community.

During Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week, May 16-22, 2004, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reminds the public that EMS is an intricate system of agencies and organizations including:

• Communications networks
• Ambulances, both ground and air
• Hospitals, trauma centers and specialty care centers
• Trained professionals including administrators, volunteer and career prehospital personnel, dispatchers, physicians, nurses

In addition, EMS includes an informed public that knows what to do in an emergency. "Each component in the EMS system has an essential job to perform as part of a coordinated system of care," said Paula Kempf, manager of the Emergency Medical Services Unit, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

As part of the lead agency, the Emergency Medical Services Unit is responsible for the overall planning, coordination and regulation of the EMS system.

Missouri has 225 licensed Air and Ground Ambulance Services, 25 licensed Emergency Medical Response Agencies, 16,000 licensed Emergency Medical Technicians Basics and Emergency Medical Technicians Paramedics, 218 accredited training entities and 30 Trauma Centers.

"Since May is also Trauma Awareness Month, it is important to remember that the Trauma Center is part of a larger Trauma System, which ensures the right patient is taken to the right hospital in the right amount of time to give them the greatest chance of survival," said Kempf.

In addition to the services listed above, a trauma system includes rehabilitation services.

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