Role of State EMS Medical Director

POLICY STATEMENTS

Policy Statements Policy statements and clinical policies are the official policies of the American College of Emergency Physicians and, as such, are not subject to the same peer review process as articles appearing in the journal. Policy statements and clinical policies of ACEP do not necessarily reflect the policies and beliefs of Annals of Emergency Medicine and its editors. Role of State EMS Medical Director Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2004 Emergency Contraception for Women at Risk of Unintended and Preventable Pregnancy Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2004 Procedural Sedation in the Emergency Department Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2004 Assault Weapon Ban Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2004 Caring for Emergency Department ‘‘Boarders’’ Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2004 Compensation Arrangements for Emergency Physicians Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors June 1997

0196-0644/$-see front matter Copyright ª 2005 by the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Role of State EMS Medical Director

doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2005.01.011

[Ann Emerg Med. 2005;46:103.] The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP), and the National Association of State EMS Directors (NASEMSD) believe that physician medical direction at the state level is an essential component of EMS systems. The state EMS medical director provides medical aspects of leadership, oversight, coordination, access to best practices, system quality management, and research to ensure the safest and highest quality care for patients. The state EMS medical director completes the comprehensive EMS system that begins at the local level with the individual EMS medical director. State EMS medical direction requires political, administrative, and financial support to achieve these goals. Ideally, the state EMS medical director will be a board-certified emergency medicine physician. ACEP supports the establishment of a regular full-time position for a state EMS medical director in all states and US territories. Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2004 This policy statement is also being published in the July 2005 issue of Prehospital Emergency Care. Volume 46, no. 1 : July 2005

Emergency Contraception for Women at Risk of Unintended and Preventable Pregnancy [Ann Emerg Med. 2005;46:103.] ACEP supports the availability of non-prescription emergency contraception. This statement replaces Council Resolution CR19 with the same name approved by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2004. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2005.02.014

Procedural Sedation in the Emergency Department [Ann Emerg Med. 2005;46:103-104.] 

ACEP believes that: Emergency physicians and nurses under their supervision are qualified to provide procedural sedation/analgesia in the emergency department, and Annals of Emergency Medicine 103