Regional Emergency Medical Services Council s5

ADIRONDACK - APPALACHIAN

REGIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COUNCIL

2920 STATE ROUTE 30

PO BOX 212

SPECULATOR, NEW YORK 12164

TEL. (518) 548-3535

FAX (518) 548-7605

E-MAIL:

WEBSITE: www.aarems.org

M I N U T E S

The regular monthly meeting of the Adirondack-Appalachian Regional Emergency Medical Services Council was held on Thursday, October 19, 2017 at the Holiday Inn, Johnstown, NY.

Chairman Thomas Pasquarelli, presiding.

MEMBERS ATTENDING:

Anthony Agresta Richard Kersmanc Philip Mulleedy

William Beevers August Leinhart, MD Thomas Pasquarelli

Edward Brandt Benjamin Louch (alt.) Michael Swartz

Sidney Chase Joseph Luz, MD Kuntree Sweet

Patrice Delameter David Markowitz, MD Avis Warner, RN

John Farquhar Elizabeth McGown Gary Wickes

Timothy Foster (alt.) Joyce Mulleedy, RN Margaret Wilson

Ryan Hejnal

ABSENT AND EXCUSED:

Joseph Cazzolla Edward Hillenbrand Michael Tracy

Patricia Green, RN Lewis Jones, RN (adv.) Mark Zeek (adv.)

Margaret Haughton, RN

ABSENT:

None

GUESTS:

Kenneth Chicoski, RN - St. Mary’s Hospital ED, Amsterdam

Jill Dunham - Greater Amsterdam Volunteer Ambulance Corps (GAVAC)

Joseph Farrell - NYS-EMS

Jeanine Hasenkopf - Ambulance Service of Fulton County (ASFC)

Troy Hogue - AMR

Richard Knapp - Town of Hancock Ambulance

John MacMillan - GAVAC

Beatrice Mete - Sidney EMS/Laurens EMS

Mary Ramo - NYS-EMS

*

The meeting was called to order at 1:05 PM by Chairman Thomas Pasquarelli.

ROLL CALL

Mr. Mulleedy advised that a voting quorum was present.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 MEETING

The Minutes of the September 21, 2017 meeting had previously been made available electronically to all members in a timely manner, and in addition had been posted on the regional web site for review and/or downloading.

Motion was made by Ms. McGown and seconded by Mr. Chase, as follows:

RESOLVED, that the Minutes of the September 21, 2017 meeting are accepted as written.

This was adopted unanimously, with no abstentions.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Our guests, as named above, were introduced and welcomed.

CORRESPONDENCE

For the period from September 21, 2017 through October 18, 2017:

[N.B., all correspondence recorded here has been conducted by email, unless otherwise specifically noted]

Sent:

·  09/22 – to an agency officer, about their previous surrender of certificate;

·  09/22 – to Dan Clayton, DOH, about the REMAC action on Fly Creek on September 21;

·  09/22 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, and all AAREMS agencies for which we have an accurate email address, forwarding the latest bulletin from Homeland Security;

·  09/22 – to REMO, a TEK reference, as requested;

·  09/22 – to Kuntree Sweet, a copy of the AAREMS RSI policies draft, as requested;

·  09/26 – to an agency officer, replying about agency level of care;

·  09/26 – to Middleburgh, a supply of PCRs, as requested (via UPS);

·  09/26 – to Dan Clayton, DOH, replying about the AMR TOA (two emails on this);

·  09/27 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, and all AAREMS agencies for which we have an accurate email address, the Minutes of the AAREMS and REMAC meetings for September 21, 2017;

·  09/27 – to an agency officer, a TEK number for a member, as requested;

·  09/27 – to Tim Mirabile, REMO, replying about PSAP listings (two emails on this);

·  09/29 – to our auditors, sending them material as requested;

·  10/02 – to the REMAC physicians, the RSI QI report received from Peter Brodie, DOH;

·  10/02 – to DOH Contract Reporting, claim for payment and supporting paperwork for the AAREMS Council contract for July through September 2017;

·  10/02 – to the above, claim for payment and supporting paperwork for the AAREMS Program Agency contract for July through September 2017;

·  10/02 – to our legal stenographers, replying to their message about the October 19 meeting (two emails on this);

·  10/03 – to DOH Contract Reporting, deliverables reporting tool for the REMSCO for July through September 2017;

·  10/03 – to the above, deliverables reporting tool for the AAREMS Program Agency for July through September 2017;

·  10/03 – to REMO, a TEK reference, as requested;

·  10/03 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, and all AAREMS agencies for which we have an accurate email address, forwarding information on injury prevention in the workplace, received from Mike Tayler, DOH;

·  10/03 – to Dr. Leinhart, replying about the RSI QI report;

·  10/03 – to an agency officer, attaching 2009 guidelines for firefighter rehab, as requested;

·  10/04 – to the NYC data collection center, 545 screened paper PCRs (via UPS);

·  10/04 – to Peter Brodie, DOH, about the RSI QI report;

·  10/04 – to Dr. Markowitz, about the above;

·  10/05 – to the REMAC physicians, forwarding the RSI QI report for 2016, as requested;

·  10/06 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, and all AAREMS agencies for which we have an accurate email address, forwarding the bulletin from Homeland Security;

·  10/06 – to Maggie Wilson, TEK numbers for three practitioners, as requested (previously credentialed in Hudson Valley Region);

·  10/10 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, and all AAREMS agencies for which we have an accurate email address, the flyer for the 2017 AAREMS Teaching Day;

·  10/10- to all AAREMS and REMAC members, advising of the new links on the website to REMAC protocol decisions;

·  10/11 – to an agency officer, about agency level of service, with copy to Joe Farrell, DOH;

·  10/12 – to Maggie Wilson, replying about the training committee meeting;

·  10/13 – to Beth McGown, agency contact information, as requested;

·  10/13 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, and all AAREMS agencies for which we have an accurate email address, forwarding the latest bulletin from Homeland Security;

·  10/13 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, meeting reminder for October 21;

·  10/16 – to Martha Gohlke, DOH, replying about the random survey;

·  10/17 – to the above, further on the same subject;

·  10/18 – to Dr. Markowitz, replying about his comments on the draft RSI guidelines;

·  10/18 – to our stenographers, about the 10/19 meeting;

·  10/18 – to an agency officer, replying about issues affecting the future of that agency (two emails on this);

·  10/18 – to Lee Burns, DOH, about quarterly payment status;

Received:

·  09/21 – from Homeland Security, their latest bulletin;

·  09/22 – from Rich Brandt, DOH, the F&C response regarding the AMR TOA;

·  09/22 – from Peter Brodie, DOH, about agency uploads to the State Bridge;

·  09/22 – from Dan Clayton, DOH, about REMAC action on Fly Creek on 09/21 (two emails on this);

·  09/23 – from an agency officer, about an agency level of care;

·  09/25 – from Dan Clayton, DOH, about the AMR TOA;

·  09/25 – from Rich Brandt, DOH, forwarding a letter from Lee Burns on the AMR TOA;

·  09/26 – from Howard Huth, about a possible daytime CFR class at SUNY Cobleskill;

·  09/27 – from Mickey Swartz, about RSI policies (two emails on this);

·  09/27 – from an agency officer, about firefighter rehab protocols;

·  09/28 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, information on injury prevention in the workplace;

·  09/28 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, information on EMS agencies statewide, and phone contacts for EMS Bureau;

·  09/29 – from North Country Region, requesting speakers for their upcoming conference (several emails received on this);

·  10/02 – from our legal stenographers, confirming their presence at our October 19 meeting;

·  10/02 – from Joe Farrell, DOH, letter to an agency about required inspections;

·  10/02 – from Peter Brodie, DOH, copy of a letter to an ePCR software provider;

·  10/02 – from the above, about the RSI QI report from the State Bridge (two emails on this);

·  10/02 – from Rich Brandt, DOH, replying about receiving the claims for payment;

·  10/02 – from a practitioner, about an agency status;

·  10/03 – from Joe Farrell, DOH, about an agency inspection;

·  10/03 – from Dr. Leinhart, about the RSI QI report (three emails on this);

·  10/03 – from an agency officer, about level of service;

·  10/04 – from Dr. Markowitz, about the above;

·  10/04 – from Dr. Fisher, about a pharmacy formulary issue;

·  10/04 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, about an upcoming seminar on opioid abuse (posted on regional website);

·  10/05 - from Peter Brodie, DOH, the RSI QI report expanded to include calendar year 2016, as requested;

·  10/05 – from an agency officer, requesting TEK numbers for new employees;

·  10/06 – from an agency officer, request for three new provisional TEK numbers (two emails received on this;

·  10/11 – from Maggie Wilson, about the training committee meeting;

·  10/13 – from DOH, notice of enforcement action (see below);

·  10/13 – from Homeland Security, their latest bulletin;

·  10/13 – from an agency officer, about a new email address;

·  10/13 – from Martha Gohlke, DOH, EMS for Children, about a random agency survey (two emails on this);

·  10/16 – from Joe Farrell, DOH, about an agency CS license renewal;

·  10/18 – from Dr. Markowitz, about the draft RSI guidelines;

·  10/18 – from EMSTAR, about an upcoming CLI class (posted on the regional website);

·  10/18 – from our stenographers, about the 10/19 meeting;

·  10/18 – from an agency officer, about issues affecting the future of that agency (two emails on this);

·  10/18 – from Lee Burns, DOH, about program agency contract payments for the previous quarter;

A listing of the correspondence was distributed before the start of the meeting to each member present, for his or her perusal. Other handouts distributed to all present included the cash flow and balance sheet and Mr. Pasquarelli’s State Council report.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Mr. Pasquarelli had no special report.

SECRETARY’S REPORT

[N.B., information contained in the correspondence log published in these Minutes should also be considered a part of the Secretary’s report.]

Dr. Joseph Luz is qualified to become a voting member of the REMAC to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Dr. Funk-Valois. He is agreeable to serve in that capacity if so selected by the Council. Motion was made by Mr. Mulleedy, and seconded by Mr. Beevers, as follows:

RESOLVED, that Dr. Joseph Luz is elected to become a voting member of the AAREMS REMAC, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Dr. Funk-Valois.

This was adopted unanimously, with no abstentions.

As of October 10, the regional website now has links to REMAC decisions on protocol issues that have been left to regional discretion, including formulary minimums. These links are found on the front page of the website, and also on the “Regional ALS Protocols” page.

[n.b., effective 08/25/14, all notices of enforcement actions are being forwarded to us via email, instead of US Postal Service, as per DOH notice received on that date]

Name/ DOB/Violation Address Cert. Number Action Taken

A cumulative listing of training courses announced or in progress can be found on the Council’s web site – www.aarems.org. E-mail links to the entire list of course sponsors are also to be found with the course listings on the web site. For further information by phone, contact the following: Otsego County – Arthur Klingler, Jr. (607) 547-4226; Delaware County – Margaret Wilson (607) 746-9600; Margaretville Hospital – Patrice Delameter (845) 586-2631, ext. 3226; Montgomery County – Thomas Pasquarelli (518) 843-1150; Schoharie County and Fulton County – Howard Huth (518- 255-5367); Hamilton County – Avis Warner (518) 648-6497.

TREASURER’S REPORT

For the period September 21, 2017 through October 18, 2017:

Fund Balances:

Checking - 920.83 Payroll - 4355.31

Savings - 4349.59 C.O.N. – 17272.88

On October 02, we sent to Mr. Brandt at DOH a claim for payment in the amount of $1625.45 and supporting documentation for the Council contract for the period from July 01 through September 30, 2017. On the same date, and for the same period, we also sent a claim for payment in the amount of $33336.17, and supporting documentation, for the AAREMS Program Agency contract. On October 13, we received a check for $1625.45 from DOH. This was a little unusual, since we have been approved for the direct deposit system by the comptroller’s office, and have in fact already been receiving such payments in previous quarters by direct deposit. Inquiry was made to Lee Burns at DOH on October 18 concerning the program agency payment, and she responded that all the program agency claims for payment would be approved and sent to the Comptroller’s office as of the close of business on that date.

A printed report of the cash flow and balance sheet was distributed to all members. Mr. Pasquarelli, Mr. Chase and Mr. Farquhar first received detailed cash flow, balance sheets and register reports plus copies of cancelled checks, as per the review arrangements agreed on to meet audit standards. They reported all was in order.

Motion was made by Mr. Chase and seconded by Mr. Swartz, as follows:

RESOLVED, that the Treasurer’s Report is accepted as presented.

Those voting adopted this unanimously. Mr. and Mrs. Mulleedy abstained, as staff members.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Regional Program Agency Committee

There was nothing to report.

Training Committee

Mrs. Mulleedy gave the report, and noted that work was going forward on the RSI (now to be called by that acronym instead of “MFI”) guidelines, with comment and discussion by the committee members. The 2017 Teaching Day about EMS Leadership, scheduled for November 18, now has 8 enrollees. She requested input on any unusual situations encountered that might be of value during panel discussions on that day, and also asked if any long-time agency leaders might be willing to serve on a panel for discussions on that day. Mr. Mulleedy advised that Mr. Tayler and Ms. Burns from DOH would both be present and participating on November 18, and that Mr. Brodie of DOH would be with us for both the REMAC and Council meetings on November 16, to discuss ePCR systems, data retrieval, QI reports and allied topics. About 84-85% of all PCRs generated in AAREMS are now generated electronically, providing a good base for data analysis.