Hamilton Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) has received reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services for its compliance with national standards of excellence. HEMS initially was certified in 2018.
HEMS is one of more than 180 ambulance services in the nation to successfully complete the voluntary review process, which includes completion of a comprehensive application and on-site review by national experts in emergency medical services (EMS). HEMS is one of only nine in Georgia to hold this certification.
The Commission is a non-profit organization that was established to encourage and promote quality patient care in America’s medical transportation system. The primary focus of the Commission’s standards is high-quality patient care. This is accomplished by establishing national standards which not only address the delivery of patient care, but also the ambulance service’s total operation and its relationships with other agencies, the general public, and the medical community. The Commission’s standards often exceed state or local licensing requirements.
“Our staff has been key to our successful completion of the process,” said Scott Radeker, HEMS director.
“Everyone here played a valuable role in our ability to meet the Commission’s high standards.”
CAAS accreditation is designed to help EMS agencies increase organizational performance and efficiency, increase clinical quality, and decrease risk and liability. Accreditation provides a template for making comprehensive organizational changes that improve the overall performance of the organization. An independent review validates that accredited agencies are adhering to the highest standards in the industry. HEMS is part of Hamilton Health Care System and the sole emergency medical transport service in Whitfield County. HEMS is designated by the state of Georgia as an Advanced Life Support service and responds to more than 15,000 9-1-1 calls and approximately 2,500 non-emergency transport calls per year.
“When it’s a stroke, every second counts,” said Meagan Darnell, Stroke Program coordinator. “Getting the right level of care quickly is extremely important.”
