Austin-Travis County EMS 2022 Annual Report

Austin-Travis County EMS Annual Report

2022

Austin-travis county emergency medical services would like to thank our elected officials for their continued support.

May 2023

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CONTENTS

Message from the Chief

3 4 5 7 9

Mission

Map

Strategic Plan Field Operations Communications

11 13

C4/Community Health

Special Events 15 Homeland Security Emergency Management 17 Special Operations 19 Spartan 21 Fleet & Facility 23 Community Relations 25 Education & Wellness 27 Safety 29 Finance & Billing 30 Public Iinformation Office 31

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message from the chief 2022 was a year of significant change at Austin-Travis County EMS. A new leadership team came together to carry on the great legacy of ATCEMS that was put into place by our predecessors. As we transitioned out of the COVID-19 pandemic, new challenges faced the organization. The year was filled with efforts focused on recruitment and retention while continuing to explore new initiatives to keep ATCEMS at the forefront of pre-hospital and out-of-hospital care. The Austin-Travis County EMS Department has been a model for excellence in the industry and I am committed to ensuring our organization stays on the leading edge of innovation and patient care solutions. Our employees are passionate and dedicated professionals striving to provide the best service to all members of our community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, despite the many challenges that they face. I was so proud to have the opportunity to join this amazing and resilient team this year. I am excited to share this annual report with you so you may learn more about our Department, the services we provide, what we have accomplished so far, and our plans for the future. I truly believe that Austin-Travis County EMS is the best EMS system in the nation and that the City of Austin and Travis County are some of the safest places to live. I want to thank and recognize the Mayor and City Council of the City of Austin, the Travis County Judge and Commissioner’s Court, and all of the officials and public safety partners that support the Austin-Travis County EMS System and its efforts to be a pioneer in the EMS industry. Lastly, I want to be sure to thank all of the dedicated and hard-working team members of the Austin-Travis County EMS system. Whether sworn or civilian, they give so much in service to the community and it is because of them that we are able to be such an amazing organization. I look forward to continuing to lead this Department and serving this community for many years to come. Sincerely, Robert Luckritz, Chief Austin-Travis County EMS 3

Austin has the largest urban bat colony in North America

OUR Mission

TO FOSTER OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND SAFETY THROUGH INSPIRED SOLUTIONS

Overview and vision

Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) was founded in 1976 as a third service EMS agency serving the City of Austin and Travis County. ATCEMS provides 911 communications and emergency medical response to residents and visitors of Austin and Travis County. In 1998, ATCEMS began providing services to Travis County through an interlocal agreement that continues to exist today. In 1997 ATCEMS transitioned from the Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) tiered system to an all ALS dual paramedic deployment model.

Home to the last remaining Moonlight Towers from 1895

system to be included under State Civil Service law, which previously only included fire and law enforcement. In addition to managing day-to day emergencies in Austin and Travis County, ATCEMS provides medical coverage for hundreds

of special events each year. The vision of the Austin-Travis County EMS Department is to be valued as a collaborative healthcare provider to decrease suffering, improve the health of the community and save lives.

In 2012, ATCEMS became the first third service EMS

1.3 million People

we have the honor of serving over 1,100 square miles to keep our residents safe

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www.austintexas.gov/EMS

May 2023

ESD 1

M25

M34

M19

M10

ESD 14

M43

M22

M16

DM07

ESD 8

M

M26

ESD 6

M41

ESD 10

M27

ESD 9

M09

M17

M21

ESD 3

M32

M40

Sunset Valley

M11

M02

M15

ESD 5

M20

M31

5

stations & ESD s

M29

DM06

M18

ESD 13 TCS

M07

M13

M35

M23

B/TC ESD 1

M08

DM05

M14

M05

M38

M33

M03

DM02

7

M04

DM01

M06

M37

ESD 12

M39

DM03

DM04

ESD 4

M01

M12

M30

M36

M28

M42

ESD 11

M24

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strategic Plan Mission TO FOSTER OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND SAFETY THROUGH INSPIRED SOLUTIONS Values TRUST & INTEGRITY The belief and confidence in the strong ethical or moral principles of a person. ADAPTABILITY & RESILIENCE The ability to adjust and recover from difficult experiences and setbacks. INNOVATION Increasing knowledge and transforming existing processes and business models to better serve changing needs and expectations. SERVICE Taking action to create value for someone else. RESPECT & EMPATHY A positive feeling or action shown towards someone, and having the skill to understand their experiences.

Goals Leverage resources to be an adaptive, innovative, and solution-oriented public safety department Provide collaborative, service-oriented, and comprehensive care to the community

Attract, develop, and retain a thriving, empowered, and resilient workforce

Adaptive, Innovative, Solution-Oriented

Thriving, Empowered, Resilient Workforce

Collaborative, Service-Oriented, Community Focused

Pillars

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Strategies

Develop comprehensive financial strategies to maintain the necessary resources to operate a reliable and trustworthy emergency medical service CLAIMS BACKLOG ET3

Pursue new procedures, innovative technology, and other system-wide improvements to advance patient care solutions and improve service outcomes WHOLE BLOOD PROGRAM SIMULATION LAB

Improve patient outcomes by providing the right resource to the right patient at the right time focusing on equity

Provide increasingly effective and comprehensive prevention and care in our communities through public outreach and education programs STOP THE BLEED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

AIRPORT MEDICS CHP/C4 EXPANSION

Become the employer of choice by developing innovative recruiting and retention strategies and training initiatives

Optimize the quality of life for our workforce by empowering them with effective tools, programs, and opportunities to increase resilience

at home and at work SAFETY PROGRAM STATION RENOVATIONS

ECA INTERNSHIP PROGRAM DIRECT HIRE TO ALS

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May 2023

PLAYING WELL WITH OTHERS Creating cohesive and professional relationships with allied agencies is imperative to a successful mission.

100 personnel 47 Ambulances per day every day

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field operations

SWORN PERSONNEL 665 CIVILIAN PERSONNEL 90 Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) Operations consist of the front-line men and women of the organization dedicated to delivering the highest level of out-of-hospital medical care to the citizens, visitors, and guests of Austin and Travis County. The ATCEMS service area covers over 1,100 square miles including the City of Austin and Travis County as well as parts of Hays and Williamson Counties. The ATCEMS service area covers a population exceeding 1.3 million residents and visitors.

in the Entertainment District each weekend along with our other public safety partners. In 2022 we saw a significant increase in incident responses. The trendline shows the incident response volume continues to increase as our community grows. ATCEMS Operations continues to grow and expand along with the rest of the department. This division continues to support all other areas of the department.

ATCEMS Operations is the primary response entity for the department. There are four shifts; each shift is staffed with over 100 personnel and operates up to 47, 24-hour Field ambulances including 37 Field Operations ambulances, two Rescue ambulances, and one Tactical ambulance. Additionally, seven 12 hour Field Operations ambulances, two LakeMed Paramedics on Austin Police Department boats, seven District Commanders, and one Shift Chief. ATCEMS also staffs at least two Rescue Task Force Special Response Units

MAKING SURE YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED, WHEN YOU NEED IT, WHEREVER THERE IS A NEED

•

Deployed multiple assets across Texas to support State wildfire operations

• Recognized by Dell Children’s Medical Center for a life-saving pediatric call • Recognized by Dell Seton Medical Center Trauma Services for outstanding trauma care through the Rescue Task Force • Established a life-saving blood delivery program, in conjunction with the DMO team, on three command units with further deployment over the next year • Placed ventilators and IV pumps on command units • Opened EMS Station 40 as a Rescue Station

• Deployed flood and water rescue teams to the hardest hit parts of the State during the August floods • Deployed Rescue assets to Florida for Search and Rescue operations after Hurricane Ian Established the ATCEMS LakeMed program to provide rapid response to area waterways •

•

Deployed EMS Medics to provide Incident Management support in forward operating areas and state operations center

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May 2023

first point of contact

Your emergency is our priority

The Communications Division is the first point of contact for all patients entering the EMS system. As first responders, our Communications Medics accurately triage calls, ensure the correct response is sent and begin patient care through Pre Arrival Instructions (PAIs) before field responders arrive on scene. We take pride in our role as the voice of calm in what is often a chaotic and emotional situation for the citizens we serve. The Emergency Communications Division of Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) is based out of the Combined Transportation, Emergency & Communications Center (CTECC) in Austin, Texas. The Division has 54 full-time employees who are responsible for managing all in-coming 9-1-1 requests for EMS response in the City of Austin and Travis County jurisdictions. Communications implemented the OMEGA version of MPD (Medical Priority Dispatch) to begin collecting data on low acuity 9-1-1 calls. At the same time, we modified the dispatch point in our 9-1-1 call triage process to allow for enough information to be gathered to determine what resource most appropriately fits the needs of the patient versus only sending an ambulance. Over 140K Requests for Service

Austin-Travis County EMS - Communications was re-accredited through IAED as a Medical Accredited Center of Excellence. This is our 8th accreditation and is an accomplishment only 11 other agencies in the world have achieved.

LOCATING

TELEHEALTH

Finding patients in their homes and on the trail

Connecting patients and providers

DISTRICTS

QUALITY

Covering Austin and the surrounding ESDs

MPD protocols identify what is needed

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communications division

Our Communications Medics are EMTs and Paramedics skilled in both their medical knowledge and technical capabilities. All Communications Medics obtain an Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) certification through the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED).

REQUESTS FOR SERVICE Receiving over 138,293 requests from local to regional

PRIORITY 1 CALLS City Response 7:40 County Response 10:29

911 CALL PICKUP TIMES 98.5% of calls are answered within 60 seconds

DISPOSITIONS Sorting through over 36 call types to send the right resource to the right calls

Cardiac Arrest: 1,886 Stroke: 2,550

Medical: 79,828 Trauma: 25,133

Penetrating Trauma: 941 Overdose: 4,425

Behavioral: 6,469 Rescues: 705

Community Health: 3,197 Special Events: 1,569

Ready to answer your call. Ready to respond with intension.

The proprietary system is used in over 3,000 9-1-1 centers around the world - with over 7 million EMS calls processed annually. The MPD protocol ensures consistent questions to determine the appropriate response level for each incoming emergency request. It addresses scene safety for our patients, bystanders and our responders. The protocol also contains scripted instructions for lifesaving interventions like CPR, the Heimlich maneuver and childbirth. MPDS is an essential tool for our day to day management of EMS incidents at ATCEMS.

ATCEMS Emergency Communications is recognized as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) by the IAED – which demonstrates our dedication to excellence in patient management. This Accreditation requires us to demonstrate mastery of the triage protocols through a robust quality assurance process that includes providing our staff with on-going improvement feedback. We review 5-6% of our calls to confirm protocol compliance and ensure excellent patient management. ATCEMS was the first agency in Texas and 34th in the world to earn this Accreditation.

The Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) is developed and maintained by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). MPDS is a protocol script that is used internationally to triage 9-1-1 requests for medical emergencies.

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May 2023

C4 Community Reducing the call volume on frontline field units by providing specialized resources to the low-acuity call types. collaborative care and community health programs for alternative respon 18%

CHP Paramedics involved with Case Management assume the more traditional role of working with High Utilizers of the 9-1-1 System. This team also provides outreach and connects people to available resources. A large portion of this patient population includes Persons Experiencing Homelessness (PEH). CHP Paramedics are proactive in identifying and addressing unmet needs in this community. CARES - a collaboration with APD and Integral Care to identify at risk individuals that require the intervention of all three agencies. CHP Case Management and community awareness

The C4 works with a multi-discipline team that includes various levels of advanced clinicians. Paramedics often provide care for patients, but if the need arises, a physician can be sent to a patient’s home for in-home treatments. Physician Assistants are also available to provide wound care, stitches, or prescriptions. HOST - a collaboration with Integral Care and DACC to work with PEH identified on a referral basis. treat-in-place via the ATU and the PRU

CHP Opiate Response and Narcan Kits

CHP has developed a two-prong approach to combat the growing opioid epidemic in our community. Buprenorphine Bridge Program (BPP) enrolls and bridges patients into Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Candidates for this program are identified from overdoses in the 9-1-1 system and area hospital CHP builds and distributes narcan kits to reduce deaths from opioid overdose.

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y health

nses

finding unique solutions to common problems

93%

treatment placement success rate for overdose patients that our providers follow up with after an event.

ATCEMS Community Health Paramedic Program (CHP) was originally designed to be an adjunct to the 9-1-1 system. At its inception, CHP was in a preventative role, working with patients in a long-term capacity to connect patients with resources and fill unmet needs. This was designed to decrease/prevent interactions with the 9-1-1 system. As the program has matured, the role and mission of CHP have evolved to include mental health response and an opioid program. CHP-trained paramedics are sent to active 9-1-1 calls. The CHP is staffed 24/7 and has two responders per day. The CHP-responder specializes in mental health first response. The Collaborative Care Communication Center (C4) was developed to handle low acuity calls that address patient needs without the use of an ambulance or an ED. This program works to preserve the ready state of ATCEMS to respond to life threatening emergencies. The mission of the C4 is to bring the right resource to the right patient at the right time.

Finding the best solution for patients in mental health crisis without involving law enforcement or field ambulance. MCOT and direct resources for psych emergencies

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May 2023

200,000+ additional people surge Austin during the larger events

Special Events

From music festivals and racing to sports and parades, we're there.

SPECIAL EVENTS ALLOWS OUR MEDICS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEIR SKILLS TO A GLOBAL STAGE.

We staffed over 200 separate track rental days, not including Formula One (F1), NASCAR and MotoGP. The largest events in terms of spectator attendance are SXSW, UT Football and F1 Racing at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

EMS Special Events have proven to be an invaluable division within our department. The City of Austin has some of the largest mass gatherings in the country that require many extra resources to appropriately provide quality medical services to its attendees and staff. In addition to these large-scale mass gatherings, we support countless other events around the city that range from large runs, bike races, concerts, parades, protests, convention center events, and a very busy Circuit of the Americas track rentals. All of the event coverage relies on volunteers from Field Medics so we do not interfere with 9-1-1 system resources. At these events, depending on the size and complexity, we deploy command structure, Motorcycle Medics, Special Response Units, logistics support, Foot Teams, and ambulances. We staffed over 450 separate events including multiple events that may have occured on the same day.

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS Austin City Limits Music Festival, which spans three days on two consecutive weekends, draws 75,000 fans per day from all over the world. ATCEMS is proud to have successfully managed and supported the medical needs of this event for many years. Special Events is a vital part of our organization whose goal is to provide our high standards of medical care to the participants and workers at large outdoor events. Austin is home to many large mass gatherings celebrating a wide range of activities throughout the year. We are proud to say that we manage these events without degrading our quality of service and successfully minimizing the impact on our 9-1-1 resources keeping them available for our community.

MAJOR EVENTS SUPPORTED SXSW Austin FC Formula One Car Racing ACL Festival Austin Marathon

Capital 10K UT Football

NASCAR MotoGP

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Dedicated to keeping you in the festivities

We are commited to your health, even while you are commited to enjoying what Austin has to offer.

SXSW

This festival brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to Austin for a mix of conferences, shows, and exhibitions with a significant positive economic impact on our City. EMS sets up resources and geofences the downtown area to handle all medical emergencies within the designated geographic boundary. Our team is very successful at managing the increased call volume from SXSW with little impact on the 9-1-1 system, keeping everyday resources available for normal city call volume.

COTA

UT FOOTBALL

F1 brings 200,000+ over one weekend at COTA to enjoy world-class racing and A-list talent concerts on the COTA Super Stage Friday and Saturday nights. Not only does ATCEMS cover the venue for spectators, we also provide dedicated Track Medics for the race cars and pit lane area. This specialized resource is trained to work in and around highly technical machines that race at high speeds.

100,000+ fans enjoy the game, Longhorn City Limits, Bevo Blvd, and Smokies Midway. ATCEMS provides dedicated resources to manage the call volume from the small city within our City on game days in and around DKR Memorial Stadium.

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Homeland Security emergency management

FROM THE FRONT LINES TO YOUR FRONT DOOR In 2022, ATCEMS Emergency

EMS personnel, and Public Safety partners from the impact of natural and man-made disasters. ATCEMS HSEM personnel gain valuable training and practical exercise in supporting not only an EMS system but also a community’s healthcare system during disasters that are applied to incidents that occur within our jurisdictions.

Management/ Homeland Security underwent a major transition from intensive support of COVID-19 pandemic operations to re establishing base operational and staffing levels. The mission of this Division remains to maintain the highest level of emergency preparedness to protect our citizens and visitors,

P-100 HALF-FACE RESP, PAPRs. N-95s, SURGICAL MASKS, FULL PPE

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In addition to our support of operations in Austin and Travis County, HSEM also works with state partners as part of Emergency Medical Task Force 7. Within EMTF-7, ATCEMS deploys over several modalities:

Wildfire Paramedic Support Teams Able to respond as an isolated unit for 72 hours nationwide Medical Unit Leaders Can manage any operation and provide medical logistics Medical Incident Strike Teams Team members that are first in to the disaster areas of need Task Force Leaders Trained to manage smaller Strike Teams

1 2 3 4

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May 2023

Special Operations

finding all the best views in all the weird places

From ropes to boats, ATCEMS spec ops teams are ready

Always on the ready

Special Operations Tactical The Tactical Paramedics are embedded within Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams from both the Austin Police Department (APD) and Travis County Sherriff’s Office (TCSO) and considered an integral part of those teams, accompanying each agency on all SWAT operations. Their mission is to ensure that the operators have immediate care if needed.

We bring medicine where it is needed the most, at your side.

Austin-Travis County EMS Special Operations operate four specialized response units delivering high-quality advanced life support damage control resuscitation in environments that standard ATCEMS Paramedics aren’t trained or equipped to work in.

In addition to our specialty units the Training and Logistics Captains deliver training and equipment to prepare our providers to locate, access, conduct onsite damage control resuscitation, and evacuate patients from these non permissible environments.

Capt. Clark casually fast roping from a helicopter

Special Operations Rescue

LAKEMED

CASTMED

All-hazards. All the time.

First on the water. First at patient side.

Operates in support of the APD Counter Assault Strike Team (CAST) to deliver Point of Injury Care to victims of violent crime in semi-permissive environments On the front lines to stop the bleeding and stop the dying.

Utilizing specialized equipment and techniques to access, assess, and treat patients in urban, suburban, rural, and wilderness environments. Using swift-water rescue, boat operations, high angle and rope rescue techniques.

Paramedics working in cooperation with APD Lake Patrol, operating in semi permissive environments typically inaccessible by traditional EMS providers around waterways.

typically inaccessible by traditional EMS resources.

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May 2023

EMS Spartan unmanned aeria Systems (UAS)

The EMS SPARTAN UAS Team continued to be active in all aspects of drone mission support across the City of Austin, Travis County, and the Capitol Area Region. SPARTAN Remote Pilots in Command (rPICs) flew over 175 mission hours supporting multiple emergency incidents, special events, and other events requiring overwatch by aerial drones. EMS SPARTAN added two additional AUTEL® EVO II Enterprise drone systems bringing our fleet of drones up to 12 mission-capable UAS craft. We also held another UAS Remote Pilot School (with six personnel graduating from the 5-day course) bringing our team to a total of 24 certified pilots. One of the highlights of 2022 was one of our SPARTAN aircraft capturing live footage of a shooting on 6th St. during the 2022 Spring festival season. The live stream drone footage provided to the Incident Command Post changed how officers responded to the incident. SPARTAN rPICs also recorded the response of our RTFs, SRUs, and Motorcycle Medics to the medical incident. As response types evolve, so does our deployment of new technology. Drone use within the public safety realm has increased 200 times in the last five years. Deploying these assets provide vital intelligence on larger or more complex scenes.

OPERATING ON 6 DIFFERENT PLATFORMS

PROVIDING COVERAGE FROM EVERY ANGLE

NIGHT OPS WITH IR AND THERMAL CAMERAS

DEPLOYABLE 24/7 21

15% 45% 40% Training Operations APD & Special Event General & Emergency Operations

al

Over 300+ hours of flight time over several different mission profiles. 300+hrs

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May 2023

fleet & Facilities

KEEPING OUR AMBULANCES SAFE AND RELIABLE • Received 13 new frontline medium duty ambulances. • Side view cameras installed on all new frontline medium duty ambulances for increased visibility and safety. • Developed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measuring out of-service times in the areas of ambulance repair, change-outs, wireless repairs, and critical ambulance failures. These stats are tracked both individually and as a whole, and are reported as a monthly average in both hours and percentages. • Inspection/Quality Control forms developed and completed before and after preventative maintenance. • Increased the number of ambulance change-outs performed at EMS stations instead of bringing the unit and crews to EMS garage. This resulted in fewer unit out of service time and increased crew satisfaction. • Front cab seats were decontaminated and shampooed for enhanced cleanliness after preventative maintenance before releasing the truck. • EMS Fleet Operations group utilized the Microsoft TEAMS® software application for enhanced and concise communication with the City of Austin (COA) Fleet staff at Service Center 6 (EMS Garage).

Stations & units

stand alone shared with afd distric command county stations demand stations

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BREAKING NEW GROUND AND REMODELING OLD BONES

• Closed out the warranty period on EMS Station 40 at 5410 W. U.S. Highway 290 in the Travis County neighborhood of SW Austin. • Had substantial building completion on EMS Station 41 at 4601 Westlake Drive in the Davenport Ranch/Pennybacker Bridge area. • Began renovation projects on EMS Station 10, EMS Station 5 and EMS Station 38. When completed, the renovations will add additional vehicle bay space, crew living quarters, and dormitory capacity. • Transitioned EMS Facility service requests from an antiquated Cold Fusion® based web system to the newer cloud-based Operative IQ® management software. The new software allows for easier input of employee station and infrastructure needs while giving EMS Facility personnel the ability to efficiently track, assign, respond, and close out tickets via mobile applications. • KPIs measuring EMS Facility personnel’s response compliance between emergent facility requests as well as routine station needs.

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7 9 8

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Our Community Relations and Injury Prevention team is responsible for community engagement, marketing and communications, public relations, and education and outreach activities for ATCEMS Injury Prevention programs. RESPONSIBILITIES Coordination and management of EMS Community Education and Injury Prevention programming. Design and production of all marketing and training materials for EMS community relations

Community Education and Injury Prevention programs. Production of training, educational, and promotional videos.

Coordination of EMS Department participation at community events, health and safety fairs, and community engagement and outreach opportunities.

education through experience

Injury Prevention Programs

Child Passenger Safety

Safe Baby Academy

Senior Home Safety

Education plays a key role in the overall improvement of health and wellness when it influences at all levels and in a variety of environments and settings. Realizing the vision of healthy people in healthy communities is possible only if the community, in its full cultural, social, and economic diversity, is an authentic partner in changing the conditions for health and safety. We address this challenge by providing a variety of free, bilingual programs and services designed with early intervention and prevention in mind.

The grant-funded Child Passenger Safety program conducts monthly car seat

Our Safe Baby Academy program is a free, two-hour online class providing education and resources to families and parents/caregivers of infants and children less than 12 months of age. The program curriculum includes Safe Sleep Education, Child Passenger Safety, Infant CPR/Choking, Hyperthermia Awareness, and Water Safety.

Elderly falls are attributed to a significant amount of both dispatches and transports to the Emergency Room when compared to other traumatic call types, and most of these falls occur in the home. Austin Travis County EMS has a team of trained personnel who conduct free home safety assessments to identify potential risks and hazards for slips, trips and falls in the home environment.

inspections and provides free car and booster seats to families in need. In 2022 we hosted 48 Car Seat Check events and three Booster Seat events. The team conducted 34 virtual Safe Baby Academy classes online and certified new Child Passenger Safety Technicians within the Austin District.

connecting people with ideas, resources, and hope.

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1,361 Students successfully Completing cpr classes

REDUCING INJURY THROUGH EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING Child Passenger Safety 48 Safe Baby Academy 574 Injury Prevention Program 130 CPS Events 48 SBA Virtual Classes 34 Booster Seat Events 3 CPST Cert. Class 1

EMS Community Education Coordinators also conduct free, multimedia safety presentations on Heat Safety Awareness, Lightning Safety, Senior Safety, First Aid Basics, and Emergency Preparedness.

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May 2023

employee development

EDWD Employee Development and Wellness Division (EDWD) supports both the department and individual providers. The division facilitates primary and continuing education, new hire and promotional Academies, clinical oversight, safety, wellness, recruiting, and community outreach. EDWD is uniquely invested in the long term success of every employee and is committed to lifelong learning, physical and psychological wellness, and safe learning environments. We aim to foster the employee's professional growth through education, mentorship, and innovation. In turn, this ensures patients cared for by our providers receive the highest quality and compassionate care. Academy All EMS cadets in field and communications must attend and graduate from the 10-week EMS Academy. After graduation, cadets enter into a 6-month Field Training Program and pass an exam administered by the Office of the Chief Medical Office (OCMO) before independent practice as a Medic. Paramedics that have joined the department then participate in an intensive 14-week Advanced Life Support Training program administered by the OCMO including multiple scenarios and interviews with physicians before being cleared for independent duty as a Clinical Specialist.

Continuing Education (CE) The CE Division provides education to our employees to enrich knowledge, improve skills and develop attitudes for the enhancement of professional practice, thus improving the quality of care provided to the public. Community Outreach and Public Education This division provides opportunities to educate the public about the services we offer by organizing school visits, attending health and safety fairs, and conducting multimedia safety presentations. The EMS Explorer Post is an organization for youth aged 14-21 years to learn about careers in EMS through classes, community service, and ambulance ride-alongs. Analysis and Research (BAR) team, and its goal is to improve performance through the use of data, analysis, and process improvement. Designated Medical Officer (DMO) The DMO oversees a variety of clinical affairs on behalf of the department and works closely with the OCMO on a variety of projects and initiatives such as the safe and effective use of cardiac monitors, ventilators, IV pumps, and the pre-hospital blood program. Knowledge Management This Division includes the Business

+ 30,000 hours of CE delivered to empower providers

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clinical education

HANdtevy A new care approach bringing a leading standard to our pediatric patients and caregivers. Handtevy allows us to organize pediatric equipment, provides guidance on accurate medication delivery through an app, and education for pediatric emergency care. Whole Blood ATCEMS spearheaded a lifesaving initiative to make prehospital whole blood administration available to community members in Austin and Travis County that are suffering from life-threatening bleeding. ATCEMS personnel were able to administer 32 units of whole blood to improve clinical outcomes. active attack Administered 50 Active Attack Integrated Response courses in partnership with 1,360 City of Austin Police, Fire, and EMS First Responders (10,800 hours) strengthening our community response with effective mitigation strategies.

1

2

3

continuing education Facilitated over 30,000 clock hours of continuing education to empower our clinicians through cutting edge research and training, progressive protocols, state-of-the-art equipment, strong mentorship, and meaningful learning experiences.

4

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May 2023

Austin-Travis County has over 2,000 caves

safety program LOOKING OUT FOR OUR PEOPLE, SO THEY CAN LOOK OUT FOR YOURS

goal is to prevent injuries and accidents involving our employees and the citizens we serve, enhance the health and well-being of our personnel, and create a safe environment for our patients.

The ATCEMS Safety Program is dedicated to providing a safe work environment for our employees, allowing them to provide the best possible care to the citizens of Austin and Travis County. Our Continued conducting high-level reviews of safety concerns, identifying trends and patterns that guide strategic and operational planning. Successfully delivered a comprehensive three-day driver training program to every new employee and continuing driver education for current employees. Performed a Health and Safety Audit for 100% of EMS Facilities. Through proactive efforts with Facilities and Command Staff, these audits continue to successfully provide a safe work environment and improve working conditions. Collaborated with Austin Public Safety Wellness and St. David’s Occupational Health Services to improve the care and education our employees receive following on-the-job injuries and workplace exposures. INITIATIVES & PROGRAMS

• • • • • • •

Respiratory Protection Program

Driver Safety Program Injury & Illness Prevention

Infection Control

Patient Safety

Facility Safety and Ergonomics Cleaning and disinfecting of fleet and facilities

•

Safety Reviews of Fleet Accidents

•

Safety Concerns and Near-Miss Events Assaults on providers and OJIs

+3,800

total numer of PPe items keeping our providers safe each day

$ 105.8 MILLION Department Budget

The Austin-Travis County EMS Billing is an in-house program to recover the costs of emergency medical services associated with transporting a patient to the hospital by ambulance. The Billing program bills insurance companies, government medical coverage plans, and patients for ambulance transport. Our team implemented an online form system to allow customers to submit updated demographic and insurance information when it is not obtained at the time of service, as well as submit authorizations to file claims to their insurance. This allows customers to provide their information electronically ACCURATE MEDICINE WITH ACCURATE NUMBERS billing & finance

without being limited to office hours or utilizing mail services for submissions. The Austin-Travis County EMS Financial unit supports the department in a variety of ways. It is responsible for the creation of the annual budget to provide the funding for EMS operations and monitors spending to ensure fiduciary responsibility. It is responsible for all accounts payable and works to make sure all payments go out in a timely manner. EMS Finance is also accountable for all revenue collection and accounting entries and reconciliations for the accurate posting of financial data.

$ 1.7+ MILLION Exceeded current year estimated revenue

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May 2023

public information office

Your eyes and ears for what is happening now

The ATCEMS YouTube and Vimeo channels are the primary mediums for media and department produced videos including Public Service Announcements (PSAs), promotional videos, training videos, news stories, as well as recruiting videos. PIO was given the task of increasing ATCEMS presence and posting on the LinkedIn platform and has grown our followers to 4,556 on this platform. • Respond to major/high-profile incidents; on scene department spokesmen • Participate in City-wide or joint press conferences • Mitigate crisis management messaing • Collaborate with Community Relations and Injury Prevention to increase awareness Design, produce, and deliver department presentations Generate press releases and talking points for executive staff and other subject matter experts Create and deliver of safety messaging Manage and operate all department social media platforms • • • •

The Public Information Office (PIO) is a 24/7 operation and responds to media inquiries, open records, and legal requests, and acts as the legal liaison for EMS employees. Its primary function is to serve as a conduit for the release of accurate and timely information from credible and accountable sources to the media and residents of Travis County through media interviews, press conferences, and our social media platforms. Our Twitter feed, @ATCEMS, currently has 57,896 followers and is our breaking news and incident reporting channel. This Twitter feed is considered a “must-follow” channel by local and national media. Our Facebook page (currently 39,246 followers) is used as a tool to share information with the Austin-Travis County community. Pictures, videos, stories, and links are posted throughout the week to keep our community and the media informed and engaged. Instagram (14,565 followers) is a platform that we utilize to tell the stories of the work lives of our clinicians through pictures and videos.

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+80,000 FOLLOWERS over multiple platforms

INITIATIVES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Achieved FEMA Master & Advanced PIO certification

• Interviews with local & national news (179, most since FY19) • Share the Road Campaign (motorcycle safety & awareness) • Click it or Ticket or Worse Campaign (driver safety & awareness) • Work Zone Safety Campaign (TxDOT work zone safety) • Austin Corps Presentation • Joint DEA/APD press conference (opioids) • Joint SXSW press conference (mass shooting) • Host Saltillo, Mexico delegation (sister City) • Host PIO Eagle County, CO • Live streaming of ATCEMS academy graduations • ATCEMS Cadet Experience 3-part video recruiting series • Chat with the Chief podcast

• ATCEMS booth at the Texas EMS Conference • Virtual Q&A sessions with ATCEMS recruiting • HSEM Emergency Preparedness fairs

www.austintexas.gov/EMS

May 2023

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services 15 Waller Street Austin, TX 78702 512.972.7200 www.austintexas.gov/EMS

@ATCems

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services

@aTCemsmedics