Our Services

The Center for EMS/Prehospital Medicine is responsible for the operation of:

1. Medical Command Facility Operations.

Ensuring that all ER physicians meet the state Department of Health/Emergency Medical Services Division requirements to give radio and telephone medical direction to prehospital providers in the communities.

Ensuring that we meet all other aspects of the Medical Command Facility requirements, such as call auditing.

2. EMS Continuing Education Sponsor.

The Center for EMS/Prehospital Medicine is an approved EMS Continuing Education sponsor, meeting the requirement of the EMS Division, Pennsylvania Department of Health, to provide educational programs to prehospital personnel and emergency department staff.

Classes include:

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support—(ACLS).
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support—(PALS).
• Basic Trauma Life Support—(BTLS).
• Additional topics in prehospital and emergency medicine.

3. EMS/Prehospital Clinical Site.

In cooperation with EMS training programs, such as and not limited to, the Emergency Services Training Program at IUP and the Conemaugh School of EMS, the Center for EMS/Prehospital Medicine provides clinical sites for prehospital emergency medical services, paramedic, PHRN students and providers to obtain hands-on experience and maintain the necessary psychomotor and analytical skills in the prehospital care area.

Clinical sites include:

• Emergency Services Department.
• Intensive Care Unit.
• Medical/Surgical Units.
• Obstetrics.
• Behavioral Health.
• OR/Anesthesia—airway management.
• Respiratory Care.
• Cardiac Catheterization Lab.

4. EMS Operations.

Assist several regional EMS agencies with EMS/Medical Center interface operations. These include EMS services, 911 centers, fire services, law enforcement and other public safety programs.

5. Air Medical Operations.

Assist the medical center with clinical, safety and operations at the medical center helipad, as well as for our on-site helicopter base, Life Flight 3 from West Penn Allegheny Health Systems/Allegheny General Hospital, and other regional air medical services.

6. Transport/Patient Transfer Resources.

7. Outreach programs to EMS/Public Safety agencies and to the public.

8. Work with medical center educators/managers to provide clinical suggestions and programs for medical center patient care, safety, training and operational issues.

Contact Us

Center for EMS/Prehospital Medicine

Scott Rhoades, RN, BSN, PHRN, EMS/Prehospital Coordinator

Phone: 724.357.7154

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