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Fri Apr 3 22:15:09 BST 2009

Sue, I think that EMS virtually everywhere would benefit from this kind 
of investment from the surgical community.  Boston EMS is lucky.

Unfortunately, and for reasons unknown to me, the same community that 
had such a heavy hand in creating EMS nationally seems to have largely 
abandoned it.

LT

schiller181 at comcast.net wrote:
> 
> While it is true it may be rare that surgeons are involved, there are
> some systems that are fortunate to have it.  Boston is exquisitely
> fortunate to have an amazing team of Surgeons who, not only are
> directly involved with EMS, but are instrumental in making very
> positive changes directly in the field.  Sadly we lost one of our
> icons recently, Dr. Erwin Hirsch.  But his memory forces me to point
> out the good surgeons can do when they are committed to patient care
> across the entire care continuum.  Boston EMS has direct contact with
> the surgical team and it is not uncommon for us to bypass the ER
> completely and go right up to the OR based on our findings in the
> field.  Right along side with the ED team and our Attendings The
> surgeons train us, trust us, and nail us when we screw up.  For all
> of you out there who do the same... My deepest thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> -Susan Schiller EMT-P
> 
> Boston EMS
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Torrey"
> <LTorrey at maine.rr.com> To: "Trauma &amp; Critical Care mailing list"
> <trauma-list at trauma.org> Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 1:19:42 PM GMT
> -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: Lack of INTEGRATED TRAUMA
> SYSTEM cost Richardson her life ?
> 
> KMATTOX at aol.com wrote:
>> ...With such a system, the paramedics in the  ambulance that
>> finally did transport this patient would have been in communication
>> with the TRAUMA SURGEON at the area regional verified trauma center
>> for advice and orders.   This EMS vehicle then might have
>> administered Hypertonic Saline on the way to Montreal Trauma
>> Center...
> 
> Does anyone here actually work in a system where a trauma surgeon is
>  online, communicating with EMS prior to their arrival in a hospital?
>  While this sounds great, it also sounds the stuff of fantasy.
> 
> It is the rarest occasion that I have ever seen surgery interact with
>  EMS providers except during a patient hand-off in the trauma room.
> I'm not talking about surgeons being involved on a system-level, but
> on a provider-level working with the medics and the services
> themselves.
> 
> If surgeons want more involvement, then I say 'Bravo, get involved!'.
>  As a long-time paramedic myself, the only thing I can find more 
> difficult to imagine that an EMS system not wanting a surgeon
> involved at their level is a surgeon who wants to get involved at
> their level.
> 
> Larry, RN, EMT-P

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