State Officials Announce New Protocols For EMS

West Virginia Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers can render services and make faster decisions in the field thanks to new protocols that took effect July 1.

The protocols were developed by the State Medical Director for the Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), Dr. P.S. Martin, Chair of the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, Jamie Weller and EMS leaders Torie Geis and Shirley Morrison.

“These leaders recognized a need and acted on it,” Secretary of the Department of Health (DH), Sherri Young said. “I commend their willingness to work with us to improve the quality of care for West Virginians. This is a perfect example of where collaboration with those on the front lines helped us put a plan into action.”

Jody Ratliff, DH OEMS director, said the new protocols help first responders face modern-day challenges.

“The new protocols eliminate a lot of the red tape faced by EMS crews in the past and empower them to think critically on their feet,” Ratliff said. “They also address many of the communication barriers faced by first responders in rural communities with limited telecommunications access.”

According to a press release, the new rules are part of Gov. Jim Justice’s ‘Answer the Call’ initiative which has expanded EMS training and workforce capacity in West Virginia by 75 percent.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.