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Foreword

Emergency Medical Services: Clinical Practice and Systems Oversight is firmly established as the standard reference text for the medical subspecialty of EMS. Within the following pages is the distillation of the clinical practice of EMS medicine. This text provides the updated (2019) core content of the specialty for the next generation of EMS leaders, and provides an ongoing reference for the practicing clinician. NAEMSP extends its heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the editors, David Cone, Jane Brice, Ted Delbridge, and Brent Myers, for their tireless work; and to the authors for their important contributions that have brought this important body of knowledge to a third edition.

Though in gestation for over three decades, the actual specialty of EMS medicine is still in its infancy. The success and the relevance of EMS medicine will succeed or fail by our stewardship in the coming years. The validation of a specialty solely by virtue of the hard‐won achievement of recognition by the house of medicine will not, by itself, lead to a general acknowledgement among our colleagues, communities, and local, state, and national leadership that EMS physicians are truly the leaders of this important facet of the health care system and, as such, possibly not realize that EMS is even part of the health care system! The inflection point may be seen when more communities become invested in seeing the outcomes and quality metrics of their EMS systems, and begin to require that medical oversight is provided by an EMS physician, in the same way that they would seek out qualified physicians for other aspects of their health care systems. We will know we are on track as medical directors evolve into chief medical officers, and more commonly become direct‐reports to mayors as opposed to dotted lines to middle management, expected to be in the C‐suite meetings on the same level as other chief executives. We have the responsibility to become more deeply invested in local, state, and national political advocacy to have a voice on issues that affect our practice, our personnel, and our communities. The natural evolution of our specialty that seems out of reach at this point can become a positive “disruptive” force for health care. Those of you who are reading this text are those who will be responsible for the advancement of our specialty.

The latest edition of the text will be published during an era that has seen the rise of a global pandemic, a true 100‐year event, the full scope and effects as yet unknown at the time of this writing. It is likely that there will be sustained changes in EMS as a result of the lessons learned. This third edition should serve as a solid foundation for what EMS is, and the principles within will provide guidance for what it can become. Although the post‐pandemic landscape remains unrevealed, what is known and what will unequivocally not change is the ethos of dedication, service, valor, and heroism demonstrated by EMS during this crisis.

Michael Levy, MD

President 2021 & 2022

National Association of EMS Physicians®