Emergency Medicine Services and Disaster Medicine

Mission
To be a national leader in the education and development of the next generation of EMS physicians; to discover and translate new knowledge in the science and medicine of EMS to provide cutting-edge, interdisciplinary and compassionate clinical care of the highest quality; to improve the health of the communities we serve and beyond.

Vision
To be a worldwide Leader in EMS medicine.

Values
Patient-Centric
Partnership
Stewardship
Scholarship

Lorin Browne, DO
Dr. Lorin Browne is a Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and Assistant Medical Director (Pediatrics) for Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services. He joined the faculty at MCW in 2009 after completing a 3-year fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Dr. Browne received his baccalaureate degree at Brigham Young University, his osteopathic medical degree at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his pediatric residency at Northeast Ohio University College of Medicine. His duties include clinical work as an emergency physician at Children’s Wisconsin and EMS Liaison for both the Emergency Department and Trauma Programs at Children's. He is also active in planning and contributing to Emergency Response and Disaster Planning at CHW. Dr. Browne’s current research interests include prehospital pain management in children, selective cervical spine immobilization in children, and pediatric disaster medicine.

Matthew Chinn, MD
Dr. Matt Chinn is the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Fellow in the Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed an Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He began his medical career as an EMT with Texas A&M University Emergency Medical Services. During residency, he served as an Assistant Medical Director for several fire departments and Flight physician and assistant medical director for UC Health Air Care, a CAMTS-accredited air Medical Transport Service. Dr. Chinn also has tactical EMS experience and served as a team physician on the Cincinnati Police SWAT Team. He currently works with Milwaukee County EMS. Dr. Chinn practices emergency medicine at Froedtert Hospital.

M. Riccardo Colella, DO, MPH, FACEP
Dr. Colella is the Director of Medical Services for the Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System, a national leader in EMS, serving a population of approximately one million citizens. Dr. Colella is also the Medical Director for Flight For Life, a Commission of Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) accredited air medical transport system providing service to southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Additionally, he is a consultant for the Center for International Health developing academic EMS curriculum for international physician development and other projects. Dr. Colella has an extensive background in EMS, technical rescue, and critical care transport that spans two decades. Prior to his recruitment to the Medical College of Wisconsin, he was an appointed faculty at the Johns Hopkins University’s Department of Emergency Medicine and Medical Director for their Critical Care Transport Program. Other appointments include an Emergency Services Section Physician for the United States Secret Service and disaster physician for both DMAT and USAR Teams.

Patrick Drayna, MD
Dr. Drayna is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and is a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship-trained physician who provides patient care at the Children's Wisconsin Emergency Department and Trauma Center. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine (AAP SOEM) and candidate member of NAEMSP. He has past experience working with the Nashville Fire Department, Vanderbilt University Medical Center's LifeFlight air transport program, and the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital Transport Team by providing prehospital patient transport, provider education, and quality assurance. He also served as a member of the Tennessee State EMS-C Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center educational team at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. He currently serves as an EMS section member at the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Department of Emergency Medicine and has been invited to serve as a member of the WI EMS Physicians Advisory Committee and as pediatric medical director of Flight For Life. He has given both local and invited regional lectures and educational workshop sessions to EMS and prehospital providers in both Tennessee and Wisconsin. His current academic interests are focused on the prehospital care of critically ill and injured children within EMS systems.

Tim Lenz, MD
Dr. Lenz is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He received his medical degree from St. George's University and completed his emergency medicine residency at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed an EMS fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Lenz practices clinically in the emergency department at Froedtert Hospital. Dr. Lenz is the Director of Medical Services for Flight For Life, a CAMTS accredited air medical transport service, and Associate Director of Medical Services for Milwaukee County EMS. Dr. Lenz's career began as a first responder for the St. Nazianz Volunteer Fire Department and he worked for over thirteen years with Bell Ambulance in Milwaukee. He maintains his Wisconsin Paramedic license. He was a clinical adjunct instructor at Gateway Technical College and taught American Heart Association (AHA) courses for Wheaton Franciscan Health System. He has presented research at the national American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) conference, National EMS Physicians conference, and the World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine conference.

E. Brooke Lerner
Dr. E. Brooke Lerner is tenured professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is an injury epidemiologist and a former EMS field provider who has dedicated her career to improving prehospital care through research. She has 20 years of EMS related experience, has received several million dollars in federal funding for EMS research, and has authored over 85 peer-reviewed publications. She has focused her work on improving prehospital trauma care, in particular studying and assisting with the development of national guidelines for field triage and mass casualty triage. She is or has been on Boards for several national organizations including the National Association of EMS Physicians, Brain Trauma Foundation, and the National Disaster Life support Foundation.

J. Marc Liu, MD, MPH
J. Marc Liu, MD, MPH is Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He serves as Associate Director of Medical Services for Milwaukee County EMS. Dr. Liu received his baccalaureate degree, medical degree, and emergency medicine residency training at Northwestern University. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. From 2005-2007, Dr. Liu was the inaugural National Association of EMS Physicians-Zoll EMS Resuscitation Fellow. His current duties include clinical work as an emergency physician in the academic departments of Froedtert Hospital and Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Liu also serves as the Medical Director for Tactical EMS Programs for Milwaukee County EMS. Dr. Liu’s research interests include disaster and mass casualty medicine. He provides disaster medical care and oversight as a team officer for the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). Dr. Liu has been appointed as Senior Medial Advisor to the Wisconsin Hospital Emergency Preparedness Program (WHEPP), and serves on the Executive Committee of the WHEPP southeastern Wisconsin region.

Erin Turk, PharmD
Erin Turk is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Emergency Medicine at Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Erin established pharmacy services in the ED in 2007 and continues to implement pharmacy roles in a variety of areas including the Wisconsin Poison Center, EMS services, and through education and research. Dr. Turk graduated with a PharmD from Drake University in 2000. She went on to pursue a residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and was also faculty at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. Erin has been with Froedtert Hospital in a number of capacities since 2001. She continues her passion for teaching by being primary preceptor for Concordia and University of Wisconsin pharmacy students as well as pharmacy residents.

Benjamin Weston, MD, MPH
Dr. Weston is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He serves as Director of Mass Gathering and Event Medicine as well as Associate Director of Medical Services for Milwaukee County EMS. Dr. Weston has provided medical direction and oversight for events including NFL, NBA, MLB, IndyCar, and USA Triathlon as well as other concerts and competitive sporting events. He practices clinically in the emergency department at Froedtert Hospital. Dr. Weston received his baccalaureate degree at Lawrence University, his medical degree and master in public heath from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and completed his emergency medicine residency at Hennepin County Medical Center. Dr. Weston is dual board-certified in Emergency Medicine as well as Emergency Medical Services by the American Board of Emergency Medicine after completing his Emergency Medical Services Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Milwaukee County EMS system
For nearly 35 years, the Department of Emergency Medicine has partnered with Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services to deliver scientifically-based, advanced emergency medical care to the citizens and visitors of Milwaukee County. Currently, approximately 450 paramedics in the Milwaukee County EMS system assess and respond to over 30,000 advanced life support patients and over 70,000 basic life support patients every year. As an EMS fellowship-trained, board-certified emergency physician, the Medical Director's role is to authorize the practice of Milwaukee County EMS paramedics, and to advocate for the patient by ensuring the highest level of care. Working in collaboration with the system's staff and field providers, the Medical Director is involved in all aspects of medical policy and procedures, quality improvement, communications, research, and education. Members of the Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine are appointed as Associate and Assistant Medical Directors for the Milwaukee County EMS system. These emergency physicians also participate in furnishing direct and indirect medical oversight for the system. Together, the medical directors sit on various local, state, and national committees focusing on improving emergency medical care. All Section physicians are dedicated to fostering the Medical College of Wisconsin's tradition of medical excellence and to maintaining Milwaukee County's reputation as one of the top systems in the world.

Milwaukee County EMS website
Milwaukee County Emergency Management

State of Wisconsin EMS and Trauma System
Members of the Section also serve in advisory roles to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services EMS office and state EMS Board. The Medical College of Wisconsin has had a long relationship with Wisconsin EMS being a part of the development of the current structure of an EMS Advisory Board as well as the position of State EMS Medical Director, the first of whom was our esteemed former department chair, Dr. Joseph Darin. Since that time, an EMS faculty member as been engaged with State EMS on some level nearly continuously.

State of Wisconsin EMS Trauma System website

Flight for Life
Flight For Life (FFL) is a helicopter air ambulance transport system serving Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. FFL operates three state of the art helicopters exceeding FAA safety recommendations and has been operating since 1984 completing over 30,000 safe patient transports. FFL is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Medical Transportation Systems, an arduous voluntary process demonstrating commitment to quality and safety. Additionally, FFL was honored to receive the Program of the Year 2011 Vision Zero Safety Award, a prestigious industry sponsored award to a program that has demonstrated an overall commitment to safety. Additionally, individual pilots have been awarded the National EMS Pilots Association Pilot of the Year award. The Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine serve as medical director for Flight for Life and crews can receive additional online medical oversight from any emergency department faculty member.

Special Operations
Our dedication to Special Operations works to advance evidence-based medical practice in technically specialized areas of out-of hospital medicine. These include dive rescue, hazardous materials, heavy urban rescue, tactical, and disaster/mass casualty medicine. We provide support both for patients and emergency responders.

Milwaukee Fire Department Special Operations website

Dive Rescue
Dive rescue is the field of search and rescue operations on and below the surface of waterways. Emergency Medical Services physicians support the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Dive Rescue Team by assisting in development of medical policies and protocols, and by offering an on-scene physician capability when needed.

Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials are chemical, biological, or radiological substances that have the potential to contaminate and cause harm to people. The field of hazardous materials management seeks to contain, identify, remove, and neutralize such dangerous substances. Medical management of hazardous materials victims is provided by members of the Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine with a close relationship with three board-certified medical toxicologists in our Department. In addition, section physicians provide medical support to protect hazardous materials responders.

Heavy Urban Rescue
Heavy urban rescue involves the rescue of persons trapped in building collapses, confined spaces, or high angle locations. Our section provides medical support to the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Heavy Urban Rescue Team (HURT). Physician support includes review of medical procedures/protocols, as well as on-scene medical care for victims and team members.

Tactical Medicine
Tactical medicine is the field of out-of-hospital medical support for law enforcement and military operations. This unique area of EMS blends emergency medicine, primary care, occupational/preventive medicine, and public health. Several faculty serve as tactical physicians, providing field advice and field medical support for a number of local and federal law enforcement agencies. In addition, the Section provides the Medical Director for the Tactical EMS Program of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Departments.

Pediatric Expertise
Within the Section, there is pediatric-specific training and expertise. Members of the section provide pediatric-specific insight to the planning, implementing, and evaluating out-of-hospital medical care. This pediatric specialization is available to Milwaukee County EMS, City of Kenosha Fire Department, City of Milwaukee Fire Department, and Flight for Life. The Section also provides representation to the Wisconsin Emergency Medical Services for Children board.

Emergency Medical Services Fellowship
The Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin offers a one-year EMS fellowship accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The fellowship is designed to develop the next generation of EMS leaders by offering unparalleled didactic and field experiences for all aspects of EMS. Successful completion from the EMS fellowship, including the development of scholarly project and manuscript, will satisfy the requirements for subspecialty certification for EMS as outlined by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

In addition to gaining a solid competency in the core requirements, the fellowship is flexible to meet the unique interests and passions of our learners. After completion of the fellowship, the Medical College of Wisconsin offers other opportunities to gain additional analytic and translational skills through the Master in Public Health Program, Bioinformatics, Clinical Translational Sciences and others.

For additional information, please contact:
M. Riccardo Colella, DO, MPH, FACEP
Associate Professor
Chief, Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine
Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
The Institute for Health & Equity
Medical College of Wisconsin

9200 West Watertown Plank Rd., Pavilion 1P
Milwaukee, WI 53226
(414) 805-9923 | (414) 805-6464 (fax)
colella@mcw.edu

International Scholars
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and disaster medicine intensive short-term training program at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is dedicated to training physicians in the science of EMS medicine. For 15 years MCW’s EMS training program has been preparing physicians to serve as medical directors of EMS systems. This training program condenses the education and experiences meant to provide the fundamentals in the safe and efficient delivery of medical care in the prehospital setting.

The EMS Scholars program is intended for highly focused project development assistance as well as brief observations of our EMS system for three (3) to eleven (11) month tenure.

During the intensive training program, the participant will be provided with diverse experiences in the practice and administrative components of EMS systems to gain a detailed understanding of the field of EMS medicine. These experiences will provide a basis to determine functioning, designs, and processes necessary to ensure quality of patient care in the prehospital setting.

The program does not hold any international certification but does include subject matter and experiences consistent with the American Board of Emergency Medicine Core Content of EMS Medicine.

Trainees are required to be licensed physicians in their home country and have completed the equivalent of an emergency medicine residency program.

The activities of the training program will occur in a variety of facilities and locations. Patient care observations will occur in the Emergency Departments of Froedtert Hospital and the Children’s Wisconsin, as well as in the out-of-hospital setting with Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers. In addition, the trainee will participate in the administrative and training activities related to the medical direction of the Milwaukee County EMS, Kenosha County EMS, State of Wisconsin EMS, City of Milwaukee Fire Department, and the Flight for Life (FFL) programs. Activities will occur both on-campus and at various locations throughout Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Kenosha, Fond du Lac, and Madison, Wisconsin.

For more information:

International Scholars in EMS and Disaster Medicine flyer (PDF)
International Scholars in EMS and Disaster Medicine intensive training program (PDF)

International Fellowship
The Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Office of Global Health have aligned goals of training the next generation of health leaders to address inequities of care, specifically through access to quality Emergency Medical Services and all its components. We collaborate with partners from around the globe and engage physician leadership to develop or refine EMS oversight skills. Through mutual partnership and respect, our goal is to provide sustainable tools to EMS leaders from around the world. We have a long history of collaboration with physicians from Poland, China, Belize, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Our International EMS Scholars program is intended to provide collaboration and mentoring for international physicians working to develop EMS infrastructure within their host countries.

The International Fellowship program is designed to be a 12+ month educational experience.

The International EMS Fellowship has similar goals and objective of our traditional EMS fellowship but is not ACGME accredited. A certificate of fellowship completion is awarded.

For more information:
International EMS and Disaster Medicine Fellowship or Scholars program flyer (PDF)
Detailed description of the International Fellowship program (PDF)

For additional information, please contact:
M. Riccardo Colella, DO, MPH, FACEP
Associate Professor
Chief, Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine
Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
The Institute for Health & Equity
Medical College of Wisconsin

9200 West Watertown Plank Rd., Pavilion 1P
Milwaukee, WI 53226
(414) 805-9923 | (414) 805-6464 (fax)
colella@mcw.edu

EMS Fellowship Benefits
Residents in ACGME training programs are employed by the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (MCWAH). Please visit their website for additional information:

• Overview
• Opportunities
  
• MCWAH Benefits, Conditions & Terms of Employment
  
• Stipends and Educational Allowance
• Hospital Affiliates
  
• Contact MCWAH

MCWAH Benefits

• MCWAH Stipend: The Board of Directors of MCWAH establishes stipends for housestaff. The stipend levels can be found on the MCWAH Graduate Medical Education web page.
• Accident Insurance - Air Transport: MCWAH provides accident insurance to housestaff who are involved in patient air transportation. The insurance includes a $900,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit. It also includes rehabilitation expense benefits and psychological therapy benefits related to transport accidents. Benefits are paid per the provisions of the policy. This plan is in addition to the $100,000 accidental death policy that is provided to all MCWAH employed housestaff.
• Dental Insurance: Housestaff pay 50% of the premium with a pre-tax monthly payroll deduction. The pre-tax monthly payroll deduction is $10.29 single and $33.00 family as of 7/1/15.

• Health Club Resources/Discounts:
  MCW Fitness Facility: The Tonken’s Center is located on the lower level of the Medical Education Building and is open 24 hours a day. Locker rooms with showers are located directly across from the fitness center. There are no costs or fees associated with using this facility. An MCW badge is needed to gain entry to both the fitness center and locker rooms. Housestaff wanting to use these facilities should contact their program coordinator about obtaining an MCW badge.
  Wisconsin Athletic Club: Has several locations and offers various discounts.
  Wisconsin Lutheran College: MCWAH housestaff may use the recreation complex (REX) at Wisconsin Lutheran College. There are no costs or fees associated with using the facilities. Housestaff should sign in on the sign-in sheet at the REX. Hours are posted and vary when school is not in session. The REX houses completely furnished weight training and fitness areas, an aerobics room, a dance studio, and a 130' x 190' main gym with a running track. Also available for use are a lounge and vending areas and complete locker and shower rooms.
  WPS HealthSense Rewards: Offers discounts to participating facilities.
  YMCA Milwaukee: Offers various membership specials. Please visit the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee website for more information.

• Health Insurance: Housestaff pay 20% of the premium with a pre-tax monthly payroll deduction. The pre-tax monthly payroll deduction is $128.66 single and $318.48 family as of 7/1/15.
• Leave Benefits:
  Vacation: Housestaff are allowed annual paid vacation of three weeks, provided the vacation schedule does not conflict with their duties and it is approved by the Program Director. Vacation time is not cumulative from year to year.
  Educational Leave: Housestaff (PG-2 and above) are allowed up to one week of educational leave, without interruption of pay or benefits, contingent upon the approval by the Program Director. Educational leave time is not cumulative from year to year.
  Sick Leave: Sick leave accrues to housestaff at the rate of two weeks per year to a maximum of four weeks from previous academic years. Unused sick leave is not paid upon completion of training or termination.
  Leave of Absence – Training Schedule & Completion: Each Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties has policies regarding absence from training and the impact that absence may have on the Board eligibility of the candidates. Housestaff who take leave of absence during their residency should communicate with their Program Director to ensure that their total leave time does not exceed the maximum allowed by the Board. The Program Director should communicate with the Specialty Board on behalf of the housestaff if necessary for clarification.
  FMLA Leave: MCWAH will grant family and medical leaves of absence in accordance with both the Wisconsin and Federal Family and Medical Leave Acts (WFMLA\FMLA).

• Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance: This policy provides $50,000 of group term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment coverage. Your group coverage is convertible to an individual policy upon leaving MCWAH on a guaranteed basis without evidence of health.
• Long-Term Disability Insurance: This Group policy provides 80% of a housestaff’s base stipend to a maximum monthly benefit of $5,000. Disability is defined as the inability to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of your own occupation. Benefits start two months (60 days) after the onset of disability. Benefits can be payable to social security normal retirement age (SSNRA). This policy can be converted upon leaving MCWAH without evidence of health. In addition, as part of the Long-Term Disability Insurance Plan provided to housestaff, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is also offered.
• Mental Health Program / Employee Assistance Benefit: MCWAH is aware of the multiple demands of residency training. In an effort to meet the unique needs of our housestaff, the Mental Health Program has been designed to assist MCWAH housestaff in obtaining the highest quality of mental health care in a confidential manner. This benefit also applies to spouses and children.
• Professional Liability: MCWAH and each of its employed, licensed physicians have limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$3,000,000 per aggregate loss per year. Professional liability insurance covers legal defense costs, jury awards or settlements and other expenses related to malpractice claims and lawsuits. Professional liability insurance also pays for legal costs incurred for testifying in a deposition and responding to inquiries by the Medical Examining Board. MCWAH pays the Wisconsin Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund (Fund) for excess malpractice insurance for losses above the primary insurance policy limits for itself and each licensed resident and fellow. The Fund is administered by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin.
• Vision Insurance: A Vision Insurance Plan is provided to Housestaff at no cost to the Housestaff (MCWAH pays 100% of the premium). This plan is provided through Delta Vision and includes benefits toward eye exams, glasses, contacts and more.
• Worker's Compensation Insurance: Housestaff, as employees of MCWAH, are protected by Worker's Compensation insurance in case of work-related injury or illness.
• Working Condition Fringe Benefit: The Working Condition Fringe Benefit is a $1,500 per academic year taxable payment to housestaff to help defray expenses for license fees, DEA fees, license exam fees and text books. This benefit is paid in two installments; one on the December 31 paycheck and one on the June 30 paycheck.

Departmental Benefits

• Department Stipend
  The part-time faculty instructor portion of the EMS fellow’s position pays $28,800 for 12 clinical hours a week for 48 weeks of the year (576 hours total). Hours are limited to a maximum of 18 clinical hours per week due to ACGME duty hour restrictions. Extra hours above the 576 annually are paid at $150 per hour. Any overnight shifts include an extra $20/hour compensation.
• The Department provides malpractice coverage for the faculty instructor position.
• The Department covers cost of license and DEA fees.
• Scrub tops/bottoms (4 pairs) with embroidered name
• Lab coats (4) with embroidered name
• Reimbursement up to $500 for the purchase of EMS gear
• Professional liability insurance while moonlighting
• In addition to the MCWAH Working Condition Fringe Benefit, the Department provides reimbursement of up to $1,500 to attend the NAEMSP conference and medical director’s course in January.

Undergraduate and Graduate Education
Medical students can become involved in the Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine by participating in research projects and experiencing a ride along with local EMS agencies. Residents and fellows actively interact with paramedics by joining the crews on scene calls, giving lectures, and providing online medical control. During the second year, residents begin providing online medical control to Milwaukee County EMS, which continues during the third year. Second year residents may also apply for a two year longitudinal experience with Flight For Life, a helicopter air ambulance transport service in southern Wisconsin. This experience allows residents to replace two ED shifts per month with shifts on the helicopter crew. Residents selected for this experience also work on a scholarly project, participate in QI projects, provide lectures to flight crews, and have a selection of journal articles to review. Additionally, residents may do a one month elective during their third year on Flight For Life.

During their third year, residents have a required one month rotation combined with ultrasonography. During this month, residents spend extensive time riding with paramedic crews throughout the Milwaukee County EMS system. This allows them to actively participate in direct patient care and act as an on scene resource with the goal of providing on scene medical direction. They also participate in grand round lectures with the EMS fellow. Residents attend QI/QA meetings for both Milwaukee County EMS and Flight For Life. An EMS project, whether research or QA, is completed during the rotation

The Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine's Research commitment is founded on the value of scientific research for the further development of EMS systems and services to improve patient outcomes. Its work focuses on all potential outcomes including death, disease, disability, discomfort, dissatisfaction and destitution, with the ultimate goal of improving prehospital care and patient outcomes. The Section has partnered with a number of local and regional agencies as well as federally-funded projects to conduct research, and is recognized nationally for contributions to the EMS literature. Several Section faculty sit on the Medical College of Wisconsin's Institutional Review Board (IRB) where they assist in ensuring that medical research performed at the College abides by strict ethical standards. Unique to Milwaukee County, the EMS provider agencies have designated the Medical College of Wisconsin IRB for Federal-Wide Assurance of Protection of Human Subjects. This has allowed many EMS providers to receive research ethics training. These providers have participated in a number of research projects, including clinical trials that have utilized exception to informed consent. Members of the Section also hold leadership positions in the first-of-its-kind research network designated to study pediatric out-of-hospital issues.

The Section is eager to work with new partners and to facilitate investigations that meet the Section's goals to improve out-of-hospital and disaster care.

The Resuscitation Research Center (RRC) in the Department of Emergency Medicine department at the Medical College of Wisconsin is supported by federal funding to collaborate with researchers, clinicians and EMS at the local and national level on observational and interventional clinical trials in the areas of emergency resuscitation and neurological emergency research. The RRC has dedicated infrastructure to coordinate clinical trial activities 24/7.

The Section of the EMS and Disaster Medicine is dedicated to helping our campus, community, and nation prepare for providing medical care during large-scale incidents. Section members apply their expertise in mass casualty and disaster medicine in multiple roles to reduce the short and long term effects of such an event.

Learn more about our projects:

• Inpatient Clinical Guidelines For Use When Critical Care Resources Are Scarce (Pandemic Influenza Clinical Guidelines)
  
• Hospital Resource and Clinical Management - Table Top Exercise Presentation
  

Children's Wisconsin Physician Liaison
The Section provides physician leadership for the emergency preparedness activities at the Children’s Wisconsin. Responsibilities include the development of emergency plans and policies, exercise planning, and integration with other agency and organizational planning.

Froedtert Hospital Physicians Liaison
Faculty members from the Department of Emergency Medicine serve as physician representatives on the Froedtert Hospital Emergency Management Council. This group consists of representatives from a number of hospital departments who meet regularly to integrate the hospital’s emergency management planning and response. Activities of the Council include conducting facility hazard vulnerability analyses, developing emergency plans, exercise and drill planning, and employee safety education.

Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Medicine
The Milwaukee County emergency plan includes members of the Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine as the physician medical directors during any emergencies within the county. The experience and knowledge of Section members is applied to assist in planning and policy to ensure the safety of all citizens and visitors to Milwaukee County. Physicians from the Section serve in the county emergency operations center during actual county emergencies. Visit the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management website

Wisconsin Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Program (WHEPP) Medical Advisor Southeast Wisconsin Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition, Inc. (HERC Region 7) Regional Medical Advisor
The Wisconsin Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Program (WHEPP) promotes the disaster preparedness activities of the healthcare sector, under a program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' Office of Preparedness and Emergency Health Care (WI DHS OPEHC) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Section faculty serve as program medical advisors to WHEPP and the WI Department of Health Services.

HERC Region 7 is the multi-disciplinary coalition of agencies and organizations representing the nine counties in the southeast corner of Wisconsin. The region contains a population of approximately 2.1 million people. The Region 7 Board of Directors is a broad, multi-disciplinary group that consists of representatives from area hospitals, community health centers, EMS agencies, public health agencies, emergency government, and private community service agencies. HERC Region 7 has sponsored numerous disaster drills and exercises, and has allocated funding to promote the readiness of the region to respond to medical incidents. HERC Region 7 also oversaw the creation of WI Trac, a state-wide Internet-based system allowing hospitals, public health, and emergency services to communicate with each other in real-time. An EMS physician from the Section serves as the Regional Medical Advisor, and several faculty serve as technical advisors to the Board. View more information on the HERC Region 7 website.

At the request of the Wisconsin Hospital Emergency Preparedness Program, MIMAP has designed a set of clinical management guidelines for use by hospital providers when a large-scale event (such as an infectious epidemic) has made critical care resources scarce. These guidelines provide an evidence-based framework to assess patients in order to prioritize the use of limited critical care resources.

Hospital Resource and Clinical Management - Table Top Exercise Presentation (PDF)
Hospital Resource and Clinical Management Guidelines (PDF)
Table Top Exercise - Facilitator Guide (PDF)
Table Top Exercise - Participant Guide and Handouts (PDF)
Table Top Exercise - Patients Models (PDF)
Table Top Exercise - MCCRAS Key (PDF)
Multi-principled Critical Care Resource Allocation Score (MCCRAS) Calculator (XLS)
Multi-principled Critical Care Resource Allocation Score (MCCRAS) Scorecard (PDF)

For more information about MIMAP or MCCRAS, please contact:
M. Riccardo Colella, DO, MPH, FACEP
Associate Professor
Chief, Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine
Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
The Institute for Health & Equity
Medical College of Wisconsin

9200 W. Watertown Plank Rd., Pavilion 1P
Milwaukee, WI 53226
(414) 805-9923 | (414) 805-6464 (fax) | colella@mcw.edu

MIMAP is proud to be a partner with the Wisconsin-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (WI-1 DMAT). The mission of the WI-1 DMAT is to deliver quality medical care to victims of natural and man-made disasters, mass casualty incidents, and special occurrences.

A DMAT is an organized unit of medical personnel, logistical and administrative personnel, and equipment required to provide medical care in austere environments when an event has destroyed or overwhelmed local medical resources. DMAT members are sent forward to disaster zones to deliver care at field medical sites.

WI-1 DMAT is part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). NDMS is a federally-coordinated system that provides medical capabilities in the event of a large-scale emergency. NDMS is administered through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

MIMAP supports the WI-1 DMAT by providing education and training for DMAT personnel. In addition, several Center faculty are team members on the WI-1 DMAT.

For more information visit the Wisconsin-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team website.

National Disaster Life Support (NDLS) is a nationally-recognized curriculum intended to provide allied healthcare professionals with a foundation of knowledge and skills to care for patients during disasters and mass casualty events. The NDLS suite of courses have been designed by national experts and is endorsed by the American Medical Association and medical professional associations.

MIMAP includes an authorized NDLS Regional Training Center. This training center offers certified NDLS faculty drawn from experts at Medical College of Wisconsin and numerous public and private agencies in southeastern Wisconsin.

Current Course Offerings
Contact Carrie Froemming (414) 805-9923 with questions.

Core Disaster Life Support (CDLS)
The Core Disaster Life Support (CDLS) course gives healthcare providers, administrators, and emergency responders with a basic overview of the principles behind managing natural and man-made disasters. Topics covered in this half-day course include incident management and natural, biological, chemical, radiological, and explosive hazards.

Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS)
The Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS) course builds on the foundation of the core course by covering the clinical management of patients involved in disaster, mass casualty, and special incidents. Healthcare providers and emergency responders will learn about clinical recognition, diagnosis, and management of mass casualties, biological and chemical agents, radiologic and nuclear threats, and explosions. BDLS is a day-long course.

Advanced Disaster Life Support (ADLS)
The Advanced Disaster Life Support (ADLS) two-day course offers emergency responders and healthcare providers more in-depth training in disaster and mass casualty medical care. ADLS combines workshops, small group discussion, simulation, and exercises to allow students to apply the knowledge gained in CDLS and BDLS.

For information on the next NDLS course, or to inquire about holding a course at your institution, please contact Jason Liu, MD, MPH.

EMS Pandemic Dispatch Training

Purpose

• To guide the allocation of Emergency Medical Services resources during a Public Health Emergency when demand for such resources exceeds supply.
• To be implemented during mass casualty events with developing/sustained impact such as anthrax, small pox, or flu pandemic.

Pandemic Dispatch Training Guide (PDF)
Training Guide Next Steps and Task List (PDF)

For more information, please contact:
M. Riccardo Colella, DO, MPH, FACEP
Associate Professor
Chief, Section of EMS and Disaster Medicine
Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
The Institute for Health & Equity
Medical College of Wisconsin

9200 W. Watertown Plank Rd., Pavilion 1P
Milwaukee, WI 53226
(414) 805-9923 | (414) 805-6464
colella@mcw.edu

• Increasing Cardiac Arrest Survival Through Dispatcher Assisted Bystander CPR Presentation (PDF)
• Increasing Cardiac Arrest Survival Training Presentation (PPTX; 316 MB)
• CPR Instructions Presentation (PPTX; 332 MB)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program In-House Training Program & Quality Improvement Recommendations Presentation (PDF)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program Continuous Coaching Phrases (PDF)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program Dispatch Protocols | In-House (PDF)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program Dispatch Protocols | Transfers (PDF)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program QI Form | In-House (PDF)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program QI Form | Transfers (PDF)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program Training Scenarios (PDF)
• Telecommunicator CPR Program Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)