EMS System Review - State of New Jersey

State of New Jersey, DHSS, OEMSConsulting Services: EMS System Reviewoverseeing services is a 16 member commission appointed by the Commissioner. They functionas part of the EMS Mobile Intensive Council but also provide the Commissioner with guidanceon Air Medical EMS issues. The New Jersey JEMSTAR program and private programs fallunder these oversight authorities.New Jersey State Police (NJSP) – The NJSP Aviation Division provides the aircraftand pilots for the JEMSTAR program. They also provide all maintenance and fuel for theaircraft. Two helicopters provide primary service with two in ready reserve for immediateservice. Each primary helicopter is staffed by two pilots and two EMS providers. The two pilotissue is controversial, but NJSP believes that their excellent safety record of no aircraft crashesspeaks for itself.$3.00 of each auto registration fee is earmarked for the JEMSTAR program. This fundinggoes directly to the general treasury state police, while the medical providers are reimbursed by acombination of a state grant and patient billing. This provides the NJSP with approximately $9million annually.REMCS is the central aviation communications center located at the UMDNJ in Newark.All emergency EMS air medical missions are dispatched from it. The center can be accessed byall public safety, medical and hospital agencies by calling one telephone number. Anyprehospital response must be dispatched through REMCS. Self-dispatch or “jumping” calls byeither JEMSTAR or private helicopters is a violation of NJOEMS rules. Anecdotal informationindicates that on some occasions, private services have self-dispatched to emergency scenes.There are also times when JEMSTAR has declined a mission due to bad weather, but anotherservice agrees to accept it.Response IssuesThere are several response issues that affect air medical EMS, including when should airmedical services be used and how should the services be provided. New Jersey is a relativelysmall state whose population is concentrated in urban and coastal areas. Most patients needingtrauma center or specialty services are within reasonable ground transport distance. Southern andNorthwestern New Jersey are predominately rural and ground transport times are often long.When Should Air Medical Service Be Used – The NJOEMS has providedguidelines for helicopter use. The patient must meet the criteria for multi-system trauma referral.They include:• Estimated ground travel time to the nearest trauma center (including distance, trafficconditions and terrain).TriData, a Division of 100September 2007System Planning Corporation