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Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
What is EMS?
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) "is a system that responds to emergencies in need of highly skilled pre-hospital clinicians... they’re often the first to identify a healthcare crisis in a community and act as a critical component of emergency management and... a practitioner of community healthcare... EMS also plays a role in non-emergent medical care. Community Paramedicine (CP), also known as Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH), is a patient-centered healthcare model in which EMS clinicians provide care outside the emergency response system, frequently through scheduled visits in the patient’s home..." - EMS.GOV
EMS in Virginia
Title 32.1. Health » Chapter 4. Health Care Planning » Chapter 4. Health Care Planning » Article 2.1. Statewide Emergency Medical Services System and Services. § 32.1-111.1. Definitions. "Emergency medical services" or "EMS" means health care, public health, and public safety services used in the medical response to the real or perceived need for immediate medical assessment, care, or transportation and preventive care or transportation in order to prevent loss of life or aggravation of physiological or psychological illness or injury.
Learn more about different EMS provider levels
Virginia Emergency Medical Services Provider
"Emergency medical services provider" or "EMS provider" means any person who holds a valid certificate as an emergency medical services provider issued by the Commissioner.
Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
"Emergency Medical Responders provide immediate lifesaving care to critical patients who access the emergency medical services system. EMRs have the knowledge and skills necessary to provide immediate lifesaving interventions while awaiting additional EMS resources to arrive. EMRs also provide assistance to higher-level personnel at the scene of emergencies and during transport. Emergency Medical Responders are a vital part of the comprehensive EMS response. Under medical oversight, Emergency Medical Responders perform basic interventions with minimal equipment." - National EMS Scope of Practice Model
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
"Emergency Medical Technicians "provide out of hospital emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical services (EMS) system. EMTs have the basic knowledge and skills necessary to stabilize and safely transport patients ranging from non-emergency and routine medical transports to life threatening emergencies. Emergency Medical Technicians function as part of a comprehensive EMS response system, under medical oversight. Emergency Medical Technicians perform interventions with the basic equipment typically found on an ambulance. Emergency Medical Technicians are a critical link between the scene of an emergency and the health care system." - National EMS Scope of Practice Model
Advanced EMT (AEMT)
"The primary focus of the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician is to provide basic and limited advanced emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. This individual possesses the basic knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under medical oversight. Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians perform interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance. The Advanced Emergency Medical Technician is a link from the scene to the emergency health care system." - National EMS Scope of Practice Model
National Registered Paramedic (NRP)
"The Paramedic is an allied health professional whose primary focus is to provide advanced emergency medical care for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. This individual possesses the complex knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. Paramedics function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under medical oversight. Paramedics perform interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance. The Paramedic is a link from the scene into the health care system." - National EMS Scope of Practice Model
Advanced Practice Paramedic (APP) - Paramedic Practitioner
The Advanced Practice Paramedic or Paramedic Practitioner is a physician extender capable of extensive advanced patient care interventions in critical and emergent patients. This individual possesses the complex knowledge and advanced interventional skills necessary to provide physician extension at the patient’s side, allowing their physician medical program director (MPD) the ability to have physician level care extended to the scene of any emergency, through the hands, eyes, and ears of the APP.
EMS Advanced Practice Provider (APP)
The EMS Advanced Practice Provider (APP) includes Physician Assistants (PA-Cs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA).
EMS-Physician
The EMS-Physician is a board certified and licensed emergency physician who practices emergency medicine and/or provides medical direction for EMS in non-traditional, pre-hospital, public and private care settings. Some EMS-Physicians are double board certified in emergency medicine and EMS.
Operational Medical Director
"Operational medical director" or "OMD" means an EMS physician, currently licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in the Commonwealth, who is formally recognized and responsible for providing medical direction, oversight, and quality improvement to an EMS agency.
