National Data Source:

Emergency Medical Services for Children Annual Grantees Survey, HRSA.

State Data Source:

Emergency Medical Services for Children Annual Grantees Survey, HRSA.

Healthy People 2000 Objective:

Not applicable.

Measure:

Number of States and the District of Columbia.

Baseline:

18 (1997).

Numerator:

Number of States that have pediatric protocols for both online medical direction of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics at the scene of an emergency and overall medical direction in the development of written pediatric protocols, medical policies, and guidelines.

Denominator:

Not applicable.

Population Targeted:

Not applicable.

Questions Used To Obtain the National Data:

From the 1997 Emergency Medical Services for Children Annual Grantees Survey:

- Does your State have a designated pediatric health professional involved in the development of guidelines, protocols, procedures, and policies, as well as planning for training in and evaluation of their use?

- Does your State provide for online medical direction by a professional trained in the unique emergency medical services needs of children?

Expected Periodicity:

Annual.

Comments:

This measure tracks the level of overall medical direction provided to States by physicians trained in the special needs of children when developing guidelines, protocols, procedures, and policies, as well as planning the training for and participating in the evaluation of their use.

This measure also tracks the number of States that have EMS medical directors available to communicate directly with EMTs at the scene and during transport. Both overall medical direction and online direction must be available to respond "yes" to this measure.

Online medical direction involves direct communication (for example, voice) between EMS medical directors and EMTs and paramedics to authorize and guide the care of patients during transport.

The Emergency Medical Services for Children Annual Grantees Survey surveys a grantee from each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and 6 U.S. Territories.

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