WV Department of Health Empowers EMS Crews with New Statewide Protocols
In a press release dated 7/15/24, the West Virginia Department of Health announced that it is giving more options to EMS responders when they handle emergency medical situations. They are doing this by revising their state-wide EMS Protocols which will allow emergency medical responders to have faster decision-making capabilities.
Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Sherri Young said the new protocols, which took effect on July 1, 2024, were developed by Dr. P.S. Martin, State Medical Director for the Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), Jamie Weller, Chair of the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (EMSAC), and EMS leaders Torie Geis and Shirley Morrison.
Young explained that “These leaders recognized a need and acted on it. I commend their willingness to work with us to improve the quality of care for West Virginians. This is a perfect example of where collaboration with those on the front lines helped us put a plan into action.”
DH OEMS Director Jody Ratliff explained that the new protocols address many of the modern-day challenges faced by first responders by eliminating a lot of the red tape which has slowed down their treatment decisions in the past and enables them to think about and make critical decisions themselves very quickly. He said this is important in rural areas where there is a lack of communications with those who in the past needed to be consulted before some treatments could be started, and appears to be particularly important here in Pocahontas County by possibly allowing more effective life-saving treatments to begin sooner.
This initiative builds upon Governor Jim Justice’s ‘Answer the Call’ initiative, which has expanded EMS training and workforce capacity by 75 percent. As part of that initiative, starting on May 1, 2024, “treat-in-place” protocols have been established. Those allowed eligible patients to receive care at home, reducing emergency room congestion and ensuring ambulance availability for critical cases.
“These advancements mark a significant stride towards optimizing emergency response in our state,” Secretary Young added. “By fostering collaboration with front-line experts, we are enhancing our ability to deliver timely and efficient care when it matters most.”