Barb Jensen, Evergreen

Alan Abe, DOH

NWHRN

Brant Butte, AMR

Karen Kettner, Overlake

Matt Gau, Tri-Med

Jenna Hannity, St. Francis

David Manley

Jason Norris, DOH

Traci Stockwell, Auburn

Keith Keller

Mark Taylor, Harborview

Christy Cammaratta, DOH

Celeste Etherington, Evergreen

Will Robinson, Seattle Children’s

Bree Smith, Covington Medical Center

Jeff Richey, NWH

1.            3:01pm Call to Order and Introductions, and Introduction of New Chair

                Mark Taylor was announced as the new chair of the Executive Board.

2.            Review & Approval of Minutes

                Motion: Matt Gau, Second: Karen Kettner

3.            Financial Report – Rachel Cory

                                                                 FY18                                     FY19

P&L                                        $19,670                                $24,776

Bal Sheet                             $149,944                             $146,491

Est Rec                                                                                $76,440

Est Pay                                                                                $76,440

Est end of year bal                                                         $146,491

4.            Reports and Updates

DOH Update- Christy Cammarata

Report to Regional Councils
February 2020 – March 2020

Prepared by: Christy Cammarata

2020 Legislation Updates

The DOH is monitoring the following bills:

HB 2462 – EMS Compact

HB 2755 – Air Ambulance Cost Transparency

SB 6580 – Organ Transport Vehicles - Licensure

HB 2838 – ECS System

Rulemaking

The DOH continues to meet with stakeholders to propose ammendments to sections of WAC 246-976.  Meetings are occuring monthly.  Webinar access is available.  To learn more about meetings and how to participate, please visit our website at https://www.doh.wa.gov/ForPublicHealthandHealthcareProviders/EmergencyMedicalServicesEMSSystems/RulesDevelopment.

The next rule meeting is

o   March 19, 2020 – cancelled

Department of Health EMS Technical Advisory Committee and Workgroup Activities

The Prehospital Technical Advisory Committee

·         Next Meeting: Wednesday April 15, 2020 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Education Workgroup

·         The department requested and has received additional funding from the Office of Rural Health for vouchers to pay for the NREMT certification exam for students in rural areas. 

·         As of February 1, 2020, 125 vouchers have been awarded to volunteer EMS services across the state.  

·         You can find out about how to apply for NREMT certification exam vouchers on the department’s website here.

·         Disability Awareness Education for EMS also known as Travis Alert training should have been completed by 12/31/2019. If your agency has not completed the training, please do so by the end of 1st quarter 2020.

o    Disability Awareness Education for EMS curriculum and PowerPoint presentation are available on the DOH website under EMS Training Applications and Documents – Training Curriculum and Presentations.

·         The Department of Health has updated the Washington State EMS Skills and Procedures List based on recent revisions to the national EMS scope of practice model and in consultation with the state EMS medical program directors and Prehospital Technical Advisory Committee. EMS policies and procedures that may need to be reviewed and updated include department approved MPD protocols, county operating procedures, and patient care procedures.  Changes should be adopted and reflected in protocols and other applicable documents by January 1, 2021.

·         Reminder: Course applications should be submitted to DOH a minimum of 3 weeks before the course start date.  Applications for courses with a start date less than 3 weeks in advance may not be approved.  Approval letters for courses are sent from DOH to the training program director.

o    Next Meeting: Tuesday March 24, 2020 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

EMS Cardiac and Stroke Technical Advisory Committee

·         Cardiac and stroke re-categorization began January 2020 starting with the North, Northwest, and West regions. These applications will be available online soon and will be due back to the DOH in March.

·         Next meeting April 21, 2020

Pediatric Technical Advisory Committee

·         A statewide EMS survey was sent January 2020 to all 911 responding EMS agencies.  The survey centered on pediatric care coordination and skills checks.

5.            Coronavirus Updates

                King County EMS- Tom Rea, MD

-          Biggest concerns are about PPE and availability of staff; plans are being worked on and will be rolled out as they are completed.

                NWHRN- Nate

-          Currently trying to get infection control guidance and to LTC facilities, and they’re trying to work with local health juridictions across the state.

-          Coordination calls have helped the system function during this crisis.

                Round Table Updates

-          Distribution plans, as more LTC facilities are impacted?

-          Harborview: involved in coordination of movement from Life Care in Kirkland, though they’re monitoring other facilities in the region. They’ve distributed roughly 28 patients over the last seven days to minimize impact on any single hospital. Prior to Harborview’s involvement, most patients went to Evergreen.

-          Evergreen: Making room for ICU-level patients is a challenge at Evergreen. 10 of their 20 beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients, and the others are PCU-level care. They’re trying to make their cardiovascular floor airflow negative. It continues to be a challenge to make room. At Life Care, there were 60 patients remaining, with two staff left to take care of them.

-          Overlake: They got their first patient on the same day Evergreen did. Their command center has been up for a week and a half. They are doing okay, relatively speaking. They have a lot of patients. They have staff that have contracted Covid-19.

-          What about PPE? Evergreen: The network has been a big support pushing their requests up to public health and the state. They’re reusing disposable hoods, using N-95s for up to five uses. They’re conserving every piece of PPE that they can. Being able to step down to updated WHO requirements has helped.

-          Prehospital: Impacts/thoughts around what their experiences have been? Tri-Med: a potential lack of PPE is becoming a concern with the supplies they have available. Brant: They’ve done 50 calls related just to Life Care Kirkland. They have a pretty good supply of PPE, but they’re looking at a lack perhaps in a month or so. They’re reaching out nationally.

-          A strategic stockpile has been delivered to the state; small portions have been distributed, but not a lot. Keith Keller, South County Medic One- any requests for more than a week will be denied. They’re not expecting any help from the national stockpile at this point. Requests should be made through EOC.

-          Challenges with discharge?

-          Jeff Richey- if a patient needs to be transported, let Airlift know if a patient may have Covid-19, so they can send appropriate PPE. 

6.            ACS Min/Max Update- Mark Taylor

                Series of meetings have been scheduled with MPDs from Level I and II facilities, and Level III facilities in the middle of the state, with the idea that the group would discuss the findings and develop recommendations and guidance for how high-level centers should be assigned as Level I or Level II hospitals. Most of the work so far has been process-related. Meetings will likely continue once the Coronavirus scenario stabilizes.

8.            Divert Report- Rachel Cory

9.            3:13pm Good of the Order and Adjourn

                Alan Abe- Falls Prevention Media Awareness campaign in September, and they may apply for our public education grant to support these efforts.