Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers deliver out-of-hospital care, including Emergency Medical Responders, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), and paramedics.
These professionals respond to emergencies, ranging from Basic Life Support (BLS) to Advanced Life Support (ALS), with more complex interventions, such as IVs and defibrillation.
N/AEMS providers can work for private companies, public agencies, fire departments, or hospitals, offering services such as pre-hospital treatment, patient assessment, and transport to medical facilities.
Responsibilities
Patient Assessment: EMTs and paramedics assess a patient’s condition to determine the appropriate care.
Emergency Medical Care: Administering care, which can range from BLS to ALS, depending on the provider’s training and the patient’s needs.
Patient Transport: Transporting patients to a hospital or medical facility for further treatment.
System Oversight: EMS physicians provide medical direction and ensure the quality of emergency care.
Types of EMS Providers
Emergency Medical Responders (EMR): Provide initial basic care at the scene of an emergency.
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs): Have more extensive training than EMRs and can provide basic life support (BLS), manage airways, and administer some medications.
Paramedics: Offer advanced life support (ALS), performing skills such as advanced airway management, starting IVs, administering many medications, and performing defibrillation.
EMS Physicians: Medical doctors who specialize in pre-hospital care and oversee EMS systems, providing medical direction and developing treatment protocols.
How EMS Providers Are Organized
Public EMS Agencies: Government-run organizations providing EMS.
Fire or Police Departments: Often include EMS services as part of their first responder roles.
Private Ambulance Companies: Private businesses that provide EMS and transportation services.
Hospitals: Some hospitals operate their own EMS systems and are involved in providing emergency medical care.
Basic Emergency Medical Technicians
Healthcare Taxonomy Code 146N00000X
A Basic EMT is an individual trained and certified to perform basic life support treatment in medical emergencies, based on individual state boards.
Community Paramedics
Healthcare Taxonomy Code 146E00000X
A Community Paramedic is trained to respond to a scene and arrange appointments and transportation to alternative destinations through established partnerships or direct field communication.
Alternative destinations for patient care include walk-in clinics, detox facilities, shelters, homeless services, and in-home assistance services.
Services provided by community paramedics include, but are not limited to, completing blood glucose checks, vital signs assessments, blood draws, and other treatments to assess and report to the referring physician, as well as providing in-home evaluations of high-risk patients following hospital discharge.
Intermediate Emergency Medical Technicians
Healthcare Taxonomy Code 146M00000X
An Intermediate EMT is an individual who is trained and certified to perform intermediate life support treatments in medical emergencies, as mandated by individual state boards.
Paramedics
Healthcare Taxonomy Code 146L00000X
An EMT-Paramedic is an individual trained and certified to perform advanced life support (ALS) in medical emergencies, as mandated by individual state boards.
Personal Emergency Response Attendants
Healthcare Taxonomy Code 146D00000X
Individuals who are specially trained to assist patients living at home with urgent/emergent situations.
These individuals must be able to perform CPR and basic first aid and have sufficient counseling skills to allay fears and assist in working through processes necessary to resolve the crisis.
Functions may include transportation to various facilities and businesses, contacting agencies to initiate remediation services, or providing reassurance and support.