The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners recently filled seats on the newly established Emergency Medical System Advisory Council (EMSAC), appointing 12 members during their meeting last Thursday. According to a county release, the advisory council is tasked with assessing and advising on potential changes to the county's emergency medical system, in accordance with the Ambulance Service Plan (ASP) and County Code. The appointed members, a diverse group including healthcare professionals and system stakeholders, are expected to bring a range of perspectives to the table.
Among those appointed are Allison Empey, the Vice Chair of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at OHSU Pediatrics, and Andrew Mendenhall, CEO of Central City Concern. They join other esteemed members like Shawn Baird, CEO of Metro West Ambulance, and Bill Toepper, a retired emergency physician and founder of Portland Street Medicine. Dr. Richard Bruno, Health Officer, and Aaron Monnig, Emergency Medical System Administrator, introduced the candidates, ensuring that at least a third of them represent individuals who may require ambulance services in the county.
The inception of this council comes after an extensive period where the Tri-County Protocol Development Committee, among others, has been providing suggestions on clinical innovations without the imagined redundancy that EMSAC might have presented. Dr. Bruno hinted, during the meeting, at the possibility of considerable changes to the function of EMSAC as part of an upcoming assessment of the ASP. "The ASP assessment will provide us with a great opportunity to consider the perspectives of this group of professionals in performing system improvement recommendations," Dr. Bruno was quoted as saying in a county news release.
Engagement from frontline workers, especially those dealing directly with ambulance services, is a point of particular interest for Commissioner Shannon Singleton. She emphasized the importance of including these workers in the reassessment process for the ASP. Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards also reiterated the board's commitment to fall in line with ordinances, particularly after previous delays in ambulance services. "So I’m glad we are getting in compliance with the ordinance," she professed in the meeting, as reported by Multnomah County.
With the next assessment of the ASP on the horizon, Chair Jessica Vega Pederson expressed her anticipation for both the work of EMSAC and the broader recommendations for the Ambulance Service Plan. She highlighted the importance of engaging community and stakeholder voices in the work ahead, as the county seeks to maintain and improve its robust ambulance response system.
