Spotlight on Wyoming EMS
September 2008
Briefly describe the structure, staffing, and funding of your state EMS program.
The Wyoming EMS Office is housed within the Wyoming Department of Health. The EMS Office has a staff of nine and a part-time physician who serves as the medical director for EMS, the EMSC grant, and the trauma program. The EMS Program Manager reports directly to the Director of the Department of Health.
The EMS Office is funded by a combination of state general fund and federal grant dollars. Also housed within the EMS Office is the EMSC grant, the statewide mandated Trauma Program, the contract for the statewide Poison Center, and the Hospital Preparedness Program. The EMS Office has two advisory groups: the Governor’s Appointed EMS Committee and the Physician Task Force on Prehospital Care. The two advisory groups, along with the Board of Medicine, provide a system of checks and balances for the EMS Office.
What is the biggest challenge facing your state EMS program, and what possible solutions exist?
The biggest challenge facing the state’s EMS system is recruitment and retention of providers for our states’ ambulance services. Of our state’s 74 ambulance services, more than 80% are staffed by volunteers, with many of them approaching the age of retirement. Funding, especially at the local level, is a constant problem. The current legislative session is being asked to establish an EMT retirement program and to provide several additional incentives to ambulance services to assist in retention of personnel.
What is the most noteworthy accomplishment of your state EMS program to date or recently?
Wyoming has the only legislated, state-mandated (tied to a hospitals’ license), and funded (minimally) trauma system. Although a frontier state with no ACS Level I Trauma Centers,the Wyoming Trauma System represents a model for rural/frontier states and has been recognized as such by the American College of Surgeons.
If you could ask your fellow state EMS officials one question, what would it be?
The one question I would ask my fellow counterparts is: What benefit has NASEMSO provided that has directly impacted your EMS program or state’s EMS system? Reply to jim.mayberry@health.wyo.gov.
Jim Mayberry, Program Manager
Office of Emergency Medical Services
Wyoming Department of Health
Hathaway Building, Room 443
Cheyenne, WY 82002
jim.mayberry@health.wyo.gov
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