EMS World Expo 2023 Roundup

This episode of EMS One-Stop With Rob Lawrence is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

This edition of EMS One-Stop was recorded in New Orleans at the 2023 EMS World Expo.  Host Rob Lawrence is joined by a range of guests who discuss the sessions they presented and the latest developments in clinical medicine.

Alexia Jobson, director of public relations at REMSA, discusses top tips for dealing with the media, and she then interviews media pre-con student Katherine Robillard. 

Peter Antevy, MD, describes his conference session, titled “Five protocol changes you're too afraid to make.”

Brian Maloney of Plum EMS, in Pennsylvania, talks culture of safety, and lights and sirens reduction (and their results within the NEMSQA L&S reduction program).

Doug Wolfberg, Esq., of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, steps in to discuss leadership lessons from the Beatles and his new book – "Beatles FAB but True."

The episode concludes with veteran EMS podcasters Chris and Anne Monterra, who offer tips on the art of podcasting.

TOP QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE

“‘No comment is a comment!’ So you really want to avoid that as part of your media strategy and work to develop some transparent and honest information when those tough questions come.” — Alexia Jobson

“Anything that you say to a reporter is considered on the record and can be used in a news story.” — Alexia Jobson

“Top tips for going on camera: You want to make sure that they are knowledgeable about what they are going to be talking about, you want them to be a willing participant and able to re-frame and be positive about the content they are going to cover.” — Alexia Jobson

“It's important for you to just spend a little time looking inside your organization, recognize those important stories that you want to share, and then make sure that you commit some time and resources to building those relationships with your audiences ... having that positive relationship in place will go a long way. And it's also important as a profession that we work together to kind of raise the profile of out of hospital healthcare and EMS.” — Alexia Jobson

“Getting out the door, our shoot time is the No. 1 thing that can decrease our response times. It's not driving lights and sirens; it's not driving recklessly or speeding or not obeying the laws ... it's getting out that door quick from the time of dispatch to the time our truck's pulling out of the garage.” — Brian Maloney

“When we first started looking at the use of lights and sirens during transport to the hospital, which is right there, that increases our chance of getting in a wreck threefold and so it's very dangerous. When we first started it, we were at 26% of the time using lights and sirens during transport; we're down to almost 2%, for transport to the hospital. For response to calls, we were about 46-48% of the time using lights and sirens; we’re down to 7% of the time now.” — Brian Maloney

“Antibiotics for sepsis, so a lot of people are fearful of giving antibiotics, and why? Because the hospital says we need to have a culture, a blood culture. Turns out that's not true. If the patient's hypotensive, they're fixing to die, as they say. And we in Palm Beach County can give the antibiotics within 12 minutes of the 911 call. And our own data shows that the hospital is giving antibiotics at 120 minutes. That's a 10-fold difference in that. So, antibiotics for sepsis are, I think, a major item.” — Dr. Peter Antevy

“There's a story about how the Beatles had a drummer for a couple of years before Ringo. He wasn't quite the right fit for that band. He's a good drummer. But when they got Ringo in, they took off, right? So, in EMS, we tend to think if somebody has a pulse and a patch, let's hire them or let's bring them in. But we need the right people.” — Doug Wolfberg

“Recognize your own limitations, I tell a story about how the Beatles sort of came on hard times whe