Disaster Medical Services System

Standards Development Advisory Group

Meeting Summary, April 3, 2002

Members Attending: Barbara Center, Sherlene Stepp, David Jones, Carl Schultz, Dave Abbott

Project Staff: Doug Buchanan, Ardith Hamilton

Doug Buchanan opened the meeting at 1015. Self-introductions were done and Ardith Hamilton reviewed the objectives for the meeting, the agenda, and the meeting packet.

Legislation Update (Buchanan)

At this time, it is not known if the proposed legislative language will be attached to the Richmond Bill, due for hearing next week. Much of the language is already in statute and it does not appear that there is widespread support for the addition. Buchanan has volunteered to represent EMSAAC at CCLHO meetings, but this has not yet occurred.

This project objective is completed, an additional update will be provided at the next meeting.

Regulations Update (Buchanan)

Work on the draft regulations has not begun as staff has been completing work on the HERSA Grant. A summary of the standards from the DMS Standards and Guidelines document has been compiled and will be forwarded to Starling.

Standards Maintenance Organization Update (Hamilton)

The Standards Maintenance Organization discussion paper was reviewed and discussed. Changes made in the document since the last meeting were approved, with corrections suggested to the membership list and the following additions to that list suggested:

· Californa Emergency Nurses Association

· California Association of Emergency Physicians

· California Health Association

· State Firescope

· California mental health

· Local mental health

It was also suggested that the sentence specifying membership be amended to allow organizations to designate individuals to represent them on the committee.

These changes will be made, sent to committee members for input and reviewed at the next meeting.

Guidelines/Templates Update (Hamilton)

Committee members spent time reviewing the purpose statement for the Policy Templates and each individual policy draft. Current changes in the drafts will be accepted, recommended changes will be reflected in the next draft that will be distributed to committee members prior to the next meeting. Documents will be finalized at the June meeting.

A “definitions” section will be added to the document following the preface; policy spicific definitions will appear in the definition section and in the policy template when appropriate.

Two unfinished templates, Austere Medical Care and Coordination of Prehospital Emergency Services, will be sent to committee members and reviewed at the June meeting.

Training Guidelines Update (Buchanan)

Suggestions for change in the draft of the Training Guidelines will be reflected in the next draft of the document. The Training Matrix document was discussed by committee members at length. Additional changes will be made, sent to committee members, and reviewed at the June meeting.

Position Description Review (Hamilton)

Suggested changes were reviewed and accepted by the committee. Further changes were suggested and will be sent to committee members for review prior to the next meeting.

LEMSA Assessment Tool Update (Buchanan)

The LEMSA Assessment Tool is the document developed by the System Evaluation Vision Committee. The portion considered by the committee was the section applying to evaluation of disaster functions.

The committee discussed the tool extensively. From the perspective of the group, it was felt that the tool was complicated and difficult to understand. A modified tool will be drafted for committee input and review prior to the June meeting.

Next Meeting Agenda and Priorities (Group)

To assure consistency of this project’s recommendations with EMSA’s Disaster Medical Response Plan (draft 11/01), Buchanan asked that committee members review the plan, providing input to him ASAP.

Priorities for the June meeting are as follows:

· Concentrate on completing the Training Recommendations and the two policy templates that remain in early draft;

· Approve format and content of all documents currently in draft.

It was suggested to the group that final project documents be posted on the website and distributed to each LEMSA on CD.

Buchanan will invite the project’s Steering Committee to attend the June meeting, the final meeting for the project. The meeting will be held on June 19 at the EMS Authority in Sacramento.