High Risk Refusals and EMS Provider Wellness Workshop

Dr. Georgakakos was born in Iowa City, IA but grew up in San Diego, CA. He started his career in EMS in 2004, completed his paramedic training at the University of Iowa’s EMSLRC, and ultimately his EMS career spanned the country in San Diego, CA, Boston, MA, Ankeny, IA and Des Moines, IA. He completed his medical school training at A.T. Still University KCOM in Kirksville, MO, Emergency Medicine residency and EMS Fellowship at the University of Iowa. He is board certified in Emergency Medicine and EMS, and currently serves on the faculty at the University of Iowa in the Department of Emergency Medicine’s Division of EMS. He is the Medical Director of the EMSLRC and Johnson County Ambulance Service (including 11 first responder agencies, ALS ambulance service, and emergency communications center).

He is a core faculty member of the EMS fellowship at the University of Iowa and the coordinator of the Emergency Medicine resident EMS curriculum. He serves at the state level on the Physician Advisory Board for the EMSAC in the Bureau of Emergency and Trauma Services and at the national level on the Education Subcommittee of NAEMSP. He has an interest in EMS education, operations and protocol development. He is married to a wonderful, supportive woman with twin boys and a daughter.

High Risk Refusals Session Description: This presentation will review concepts related to capacity versus competence, capacity assessment, informed decision making and documentation and legal concerns. Lecturer will go through high risk populations and discuss capacity considerations in each and offer suggestions related to designing refusals protocols for certain scenarios.

Presentation: High Risk EMS Refusals

Learning Objectives:

  1. Review competence versus capacity and how to assess for capacity.
  2. Review concepts of informed decision-making, documentation and legal concerns.
  3. High risk populations

 

EMS Provider Wellness Session Description: This lecture will discuss epidemiology of wellness in civil service yet the distinct absence of standardized recommendations for EMS providers. Lecturer will underscore the effects of fatigue on provider wellness and agency functionality and the effects of COVID. Lecturer will provide recommendations for agencies to deal with perceived barriers to promoting wellness.

Presentation: EMS Health and Wellness

Learning Objectives:

  1. Epidemiologic statistics related to wellness in EMS compared to other civil services.
  2. Discussion of barriers to wellness initiatives.
  3. Specific focus on the effects of fatigue.
  4. Specific focus on effects of COVID.