Definition of Emergency Medical Services

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a system composed of the many agencies, institutions, and personnel involved in injury prevention and planning, providing, and monitoring out-of-hospital care for the sick or injured often beginning with a call to 911 and continuing to in-hospital care.

Operating Principles

• We strive to advance the science of EMS  
• The EMS Section is dedicated to the Emergency Preparedness of the campus and the community
• The EMS Section is the source of content expertise of EMS and Disaster Medicine curriculum for physicians and trainees of the Department
• EMS Physician input is required for all levels of the EMS system from communications, to patient care, to data management
• External contracts will be between the Department of Emergency Medicine and the contractor (and not with individuals
• External contracts will be value added and at minimum budget neutral

Section of Out-of-Hospital and Disaster Medicine Organizational Chart (PDF)