Page 4 - whidbey health pulse e-magazine about our services

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BEYOND THE RIG

EMS – A Crucial Link in the

Driving for Chain of Care

Quality Care

For the past four decades, the role
of EMS on Whidbey Island has been
much greater than just an ambulance
service,” says Medical Program With the WhidbeyHealth Emergency Medical Services team averaging
Director Dr. Paul Zaveruha. about 9,000 ambulance runs up and down the island per year, EMS
certainly doesn’t see a lot of down time.
“Although that remains the core
of our mission, we continue to be But your EMS team, made up of emergency medical technicians, paramedics
involved in community outreach in our and support staff, do a lot more in our community than performing all-
commitment to health issues.” important life-saving measures and transporting folks to the hospital.

An example of that commitment is WhidbeyHealth EMS is driven by data. It partners with Island County
reflected in our response to cardiac Health, local fire departments, law enforcement and citizen focus groups to
events. EMS now takes patients, who define where precious resources should go. Whidbey Island Prevent is the
demonstrate heart attack criteria, organization that EMS helped to create to do this crucial work.
directly to cardiac specialty hospitals,
such as Providence Regional Medical
Center in Everett and Skagit Valley
Hospital. Taking patients directly to a
cardiologist shortens the time to the
catheterization lab, which can mean
avoiding permanent heart damage.
Skagit Cardiologist Dr. Sanjeev Vaderah
had high praise for the results.

“Each case that was brought to us
was appropriate. The WhidbeyHealth
paramedics do a great job,” he said.

WhidbeyHealth EMS hopes to one day
implement the National Community
Paramedic program, a program that
uses paramedics and EMTs to bridge
the care from hospital to home. And
EMS continues to be involved in
national healthcare issues, including
potential gun violence, natural and man-
made disasters and chronic disease
management.
EMS has also been involved in Narcan Paramedics Maci Blosse and Chris Tumblin stand ready at the Kettles Trail Run,
Night with the Island County Sheriff’s in front of a brand-new Kubota Rough Terrain Vehicle (RTV) generously donated
Department, in helping to eliminate the by the Fransson Family in 2016. This medical-rescue, off-road vehicle allows EMS
opioid epidemic. technicians to follow through more efficiently with patient care.