> News Summary > 20090104 News: Wake County EMS APP Program

Wake County EMS to Roll Out Advanced Practice Paramedic Program

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Submitted by: FireNews.net Staff

Wake County


RALEIGH - Beginning on January 6, 2009, the Wake County Department of Emergency Medical Services will begin implementation of the Advanced Practice Paramedic (APP) Program.

This program represents a change in the configuration of the EMS response in Wake County, enhancing response to the most critically ill or injured patients while also providing prevention visits to high-risk populations. 

This is summarized in the APP vision statement:

As a result of the actions of the Advanced Practice Paramedics, the citizens of and visitors to Wake County will suffer fewer preventable illnesses and injuries, have timely access to appropriate medical and mental health assistance, and, where the prevention efforts have been unsuccessful, receive world-class pre-hospital emergency medical care during acute illness, injury, or mental health crisis.

The APPs have just completed an intense, 225-hour academy in order to equip them for their new role.  Essential elements of public health, prevention, statistics, and potential complications of the high-acuity patient encounter were enforced.

The APPs will operate as single providers in emergency response vehicles (Dodge Chargers) and focus their activities in three areas:

1. Co-response with EMS ambulances to high-acuity situations: Due to changing patterns in the workforce, over 30% of those aboard ambulances have less than two years experience with the Department. These individuals are highly trained, motivated, and have passed a rigorous evaluation process – they just need time and experience in the streets. This co-response allows an experienced hand to be there in the event advice or technical assistance is needed.

2. Prevention and public health visits: The program will initially focus on patients with congestive heart failure, diabetes, pediatric asthma, and falls. The goal is ensure these patients have optimized outpatient regimens in order to promote health and decrease ambulance calls.

3. Alternative destinations: The first phase of the program will focus on patients with mental health crisis and/or substance abuse. In coordination with Wake County Crisis and Assessment, Wake EMS is working to develop a screening tool that will allow patients with these complaints but without active medical issues to go directly to the facility best equipped to care for them.

In Wake County, ambulances are designated as “EMS-1,” “EMS-2,” etc. The new APP units will have the radio designation “Medic,” and will be numbered in the 90 series.

Editor’s Note:

FireNews.net, in our capacity with FireSiteDesign.com, was fortunate to be asked to work with Wake County EMS on the design on the new APP Dodge Chargers.

Several photo mockups were presented prior to the units receiving the new livery. The final, pre-production designs are featured here:

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Click here to view the earlier, preliminary designs featuring various livery alternatives.

Primary Agency: Wake County

Posted on Sun Jan 04 2009 at 23:40

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