City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2013
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Alliance for Emergency Medical Education and Research (AEMER) EMS Research Grant For Up To $20,000.
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ISSUE: Consideration of a grant application to the Virginia Alliance for Emergency Medical Education and Research (AEMER) EMS Research Grant.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Approve the submission of the grant application (due September 30, 2013); and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents that may be required.
DISCUSSION: EMS in the City is at a critical juncture; the changes brought to the healthcare system by the Affordable Care Act will impact how healthcare is provided and paid for at all levels, including EMS. Several agencies across the country have implemented community paramedic programs, alternative destination protocols, and other innovative approaches to attempt to provide patient-centered, cost-effective EMS service. The Alexandria Fire Department is actively researching the possibility of establishing similar programs that would provide the best possible care for the residents and visitors of Alexandria. This grant would fund a pilot program to study the feasibility of training City paramedics to appropriately and safely determine which patients need to be taken to the emergency department and which patients could potentially be seen in other healthcare settings.
BACKGROUND: In July, the Virginia Alliance for Emergency Medical Education and Research announced it will be awarding its first-ever EMS Research Grant. The AEMER is a non-profit that works with the Virginia Office of EMS to support EMS education programs. This will be the first time the organization awards a grant for EMS research. The purpose of the grant is to "furnish new knowledge related to the field of emergency medical services, or
re-evaluate and validate previous EMS research using a different research method." At the conclusion of the research project, grant awardees will be required to present their findings at the annual Virginia EMS Symposium.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Fire Department is requesting grant funds in the amount of up to $20,000 to cover all costs associated with the administration, training, and implementation of the research project, including salary and overtime cost. City staff will administer the grant. There is no cash match requirement.
ATTACHMENT:
N/A
STAFF:
Michele Evans, Deputy City Manager
Adam K. Thiel, Fire Chief
Jerome Fletcher, Special Assistant to the City Manager