NAEMSP President's Letter

Ronald G. Pirrallo, MD, MHSA

Dear Members,

Last week, I stood on our nation’s Mall reading the names of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. It caused me to smile as I just penned my first letter to the editor to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Budgetary pressures are threatening to dismantle our EMS systems. Like our founding fathers, I am hopeful the written word has the power to change the future.

My letter was an attempt to educate decision makers on the essential EMS system components. As Medical Director for the Milwaukee County EMS System, I see one of my most important roles is to lead through the sharing of knowledge. NAEMSP^® also embraces this role. Whether it is at EMS on the Hill day, the Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine, EMS Today or the NAEMSP®’s Medical Direction Overview Course™ in Evansville Indiana, NAEMSP^® members are educating leaders on EMS issues. Along these efforts, I am pleased to report that Representatives Tim Walz (D-MN) and Sue Myrick (R-NC) have introduced H.R. 3144, the Field EMS Quality, Innovation, and Cost-Effectiveness Improvements Act of 2011.

‘Field EMS’ may seem like an odd term to describe what we do every day but it has been effective in differentiating our unique practice of medicine when educating decision makers.

‘NAEMSP^® also embraces this role.’

NAEMSP^® members have been active at all levels in shaping our nation’s dialogue on the future of EMS. This future includes the first ABEM Subspecialty Examination in EMS planned for 2013. It is estimated that more than 1,000 physicians are expected to take this inaugural examination. It is with great excitement that the NAEMSP^® Board of Directors has selected Dr. Charles Stewart as the Program Manager for the development of the NAEMSP^®/ACEP Subspecialty EMS Board Examination Online Review Course. Dr. Stewart is Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director, Oklahoma Disaster Institute in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University Of Oklahoma School Of Community Medicine. He is a long-time NAEMSP^® member mentored by Drs. Peter Safar and Don Benson well before our organization was even born. He has great insight on media learning and building EMS educational products. When asked to describe his project management style he replied without hesitation “on time and under budget.” The review course is expected to be completed next winter in ample time to study for the new boards.

The NAEMSP^® Board of Directors understands the importance of our organization’s core value and strategic foci of education. I strongly encourage you to attend the January Annual Meeting in Tucson. See for yourself the excellent meeting the Program Committee has assembled. I applaud all of our members who embrace the role of educator and work hard to improve EMS. It is an effort that I hope will have its own worthy legacy.

Ron Pirrallo -- pirrallo@mcw.edu