EMS Achieves Paramedic Level Care & More

Southwest Health announces its professional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team is now officially providing paramedic level care to residents of the City of Platteville and the seven area townships the crew serves, having been recently granted approval and licensure by the State of Wisconsin.

In September of 2015, Southwest Health launched a series of upgrades to EMS services and crew, including design and construction of a new $1.5 ambulance facility and the increase in life-saving capabilities stemming from the higher level paramedic coverage. Southwest Health’s EMS team boasts 21 crew, including 7 paramedics. They continue recruiting additional paramedic staff and providing intensive ongoing training of all personnel.

“Our crew has always worked hard to provide the best possible EMS care to the people we serve,” says Southwest Health Director of EMS Brian Allen. “Today, we’re proud that all the advancements we’re making continue on track. The increases in the number of ambulance calls we’ve seen means these life-saving improvements are more important than ever.”

Further distinguishing the crew and their level of care is their being recognized by the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Service’s Coverdell Stroke Program for becoming an EMS partner, providing more effective stroke care and coordination. By aligning protocol, adopting evidence-based best practices, delivering community education, Southwest Health’s EMS crew achieved the recognition for delivering fast, high-quality stroke care prior to arrival at the hospital.

About the Wisconsin Coverdell Stroke Program

In 2001, Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement state-based registries that measure, track, and improve the delivery and quality of stroke care.  The registry was named the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry (PCNASR) after the late U.S. Senator who suffered a fatal stroke in 2000 while serving in Congress.

In 2012, Wisconsin became one of 11 states funded to participate in the Coverdell Stroke Program. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) oversees the program. The objective of the program is to assist hospitals and emergency medical services (EMS) providers in their mission to provide the highest standard of stroke care for all residents in their communities and across the state.

In 2015, Wisconsin received continued funding for an additional 5 year period. The focus of this funding is to demonstrate improvement across all stroke systems of care — from EMS response to in-patient care, prevention, and rehabilitation post-stroke care. DHS directs the grant with quality improvement and educational expertise from its partners, MetaStar and the American Heart/Stroke Association. For more information, visit https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/coverdell.Â

About Southwest Health

Southwest Health is a high-performing regional health care system that demonstrates national leadership in personal patient care. On their hospital campus in Platteville, Southwest Health provides a wide range of high-quality acute care services, including medical and surgical care, emergency and urgent care, paramedic level ambulance services, orthopedics, women’s health, specialist clinics, outpatient behavioral health, cancer care, an eye center, the area’s largest family medical clinic, and a retail pharmacy. Also in Platteville, they operate an inpatient behavioral health facility. In Cuba City, the organization’s Epione Pavilion offers long-term skilled nursing care, outpatient rehabilitation, memory care, and a family medical care clinic all under one roof.