When you call for a North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) ambulance, you may notice a new system when speaking to dispatch.
NARMC announces the implementation of the Medical Priority Dispatch System to better serve the citizens of Boone, Carroll, Newton, Marion and Searcy counties during emergency situations.
Dispatchers using the newly implemented protocol system:
Will follow internationally recognized standards
Give universal, consistent care and service to every caller
Gather critical emergency call information for responders
Identify life-threatening situations
Safely prioritize calls for appropriate and fast response
Provide “Zero Minute” Dispatch Life Support using Pre-Arrival and Post-Dispatch Instructions
“We are proud to be able to offer Priority Dispatch to the communities we serve,” Brian Unruh, EMS Director, said. “Our main priority is to provide the best care we can to those we serve and that will never change.”
Implementing the Medical protocol enables dispatchers to accurately assess each emergency situation and send the best response possible while safeguarding valuable and limited emergency services resources and increasing safety for both citizens and responders. One key benefit NARMC EMS will now provide is a constant stream of crucial and updated scene information to field responders en route. This information will better prepare responders to give precise assistance when they arrive at the scene.
“Our EMS team provides life-saving services every day. This new system will help them continue to do that as efficiently as possible,” President and CEO Vince Leist added.
The Priority Dispatch System™ (PDS™) includes ProQA® software, a three-day certification training course for emergency dispatchers, and continual quality improvement (QI) benchmarks and training. All dispatchers who work on the new system are certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED™) and must recertify every two years, completing 24 hours of continuing dispatch education (CDE) and passing all requirements for IAED recertification.
Proactive quality improvement (QI) benchmarks are an important part of the newly implemented Priority Dispatch System. Use of the PDS allows communications centers to assess the quality of the care they are providing their communities, allowing them to make positive adjustments to training and staff in response to these assessments.
The constantly evolving Priority Dispatch System (PDS) will help provide the highest standard of care to the community, allowing (Emergency Medical Dispatchers, Emergency Police Dispatchers, Emergency Fire Dispatchers) to better manage limited resources and increase the accuracy and efficiency of the dispatching process.
NARMC EMS is one of four hospital-owned EMS services in the state of Arkansas. This year, the EMS team is celebrating 50 years of service. Serving communities in Boone, Newton, Searcy, Marion and Carroll counties, EMS’s main priority is to provide quality care. As this system of protocol implementation, training and quality improvement is set into place, you can be confident that NARMC is earning the public’s trust with every call and is your best possible source of help during times of a medical emergency.
About NARMC
NARMC is an innovative, non-profit healthcare system consisting of a central hospital in Harrison, Arkansas, and 18 clinics serving the rural communities of North Arkansas. More than 850 NARMC employees work together to provide a comprehensive range of healthcare services. As one of the Top 100 Rural Hospitals in the nation according to the Rural Health Policy Institute, NARMC has earned numerous 5-Star ratings from Healthgrades and consistently ranks high in patient satisfaction in Press Ganey ratings. A three-time recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Quality Achievement Award, NARMC is committed to providing the best in care, close to home.