Chapter 10. Learning Objectives. Learning Objectives (Cont d) 9/10/2012. Public Health and EMS

Transcription

1 Chapter 10 Public Health and EMS Learning Objectives Define public health Identify potential public health roles of EMS providers Describe opportunities for EMS to enhance care access 2 Learning Objectives (Cont d) Define public health role of EMS in emergency preparedness Explain opportunities to reduce medical costs through appropriate use of emergency medical services 3 1

2 Definition of Public Health Health State of complete physical, mental, social wellbeing Not merely absence of disease/infirmity Public health Practice of protecting, improving community health Studies overall population rather than individual 4 Definition of Public Health (Cont d) Federal Level Department of Health & Human Services Provides funding, technical guidance State level Varies from state to state Local level Function of state, region, county, municipality 5 Definition of Public Health (Cont d) Traditional role of public health agency Prevents, controls communicable disease Promotes public health 6 2

3 Immunizations EMS personnel can reach at-risk populations Credibility Mobility Trained in injection techniques Work closely with local public health agency Further training needs Vaccine procurement Liability 7 Screening Evaluating population for presence/absence of disease EMS Mobile 8 Screening (Cont d) EMS Observe potential issues affecting patient health, well-being Need further training identifying hazards for child/elder abuse 9 3

4 Education Injury prevention Formal Speeches, classroom interactions, bike helmet distribution Informal Teachable moment Advocacy Education at policymaker level 10 Access to Personal Health Care Public health services not required to provide individual health care Many do provide clinical care Expanded scope of care 11 Emergency Preparedness Mass casualty event preparation All hazards emergency preparedness Cost-cutting approach using consistent language, structure across agencies 12 4

5 Emergency Preparedness (Cont d) EMS focus Public health focus Must work together in advance 13 Emergency Preparedness (Cont d) Emergency service function (ESF) Managed by state/local health officer EMS may serve nontraditional roles Epidemiology Interpret incidence/prevalence data Determines cause, geographic source, imminent threats Dispatch data 14 Emergency Preparedness (Cont d) Epidemiology Syndromic surveillance Number, nature of medical cases compared with expected call volume for community, given time/place Prevent disease transmission Isolation Quarantine 15 5

6 Cost Containment Effective resource use Revising triage, treatment, transport paradigm Ability to pay affects care 16 Chapter Summary Health Complete physical, mental, social well-being, not merely absence of disease/infirmity Public health Science, practice of protecting, improving community health 17 Public health services provided through various means Federal level, Department of Health & Human Services Public health agency role, prevent/control communicable disease, promote health 18 6

7 EMS professionals visible through immunization, screening, recognizing abuse/addiction, educating public EMS professionals reach at-risk populations and have credibility and mobility 19 Public health services not obligated to provide individual health care Expanded EMS scope can help improve access to health care Home health visits, provide wound care, assess IV therapy, well-being checks on at-risk persons 20 EMS, law enforcement, public health communities work closely together for allhazard emergencies 21 7

8 Many U.S. jurisdictions use emergency management model that designates service realms as ESF Epidemiology interpret incidence/prevalence data Determine cause, geographic source, nature of imminent threat 22 Questions? 23 8