What Is EMS and How Does It Work with the ER?
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a network of public and private organizations dedicated to saving lives by connecting critical patients to emergency room care. Although the need for emergency room care is ageless, the modern EMS system was developed relatively recently. In 1973, Congress authorized the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act. Since that time, EMS has played a pivotal and evolving role in the hospital and out-of-hospital settings. At Los Robles Hospital , trauma patients arriving by ambulance or helicopter receive immediate treatment by the trauma team and the on-site EMS team.
EMS is perhaps best known for the ambulances that bring patients to the emergency room. However, EMS is actually a highly intricate network of public and private agencies, communication networks, trauma systems, community hospitals, transportation networks, and skilled medical professionals. EMS provides integrated care to support public health and safety. Although the primary focus of EMS systems is to respond to medical emergencies, by necessity, EMS personnel may work closely with law enforcement officers and firefighters when responding to various hazards and emergencies.
There are different types of EMS providers , each with a different level of training and certification. In Thousand Oaks and throughout California, EMS providers maintain licensure through the California Emergency Medical Services Authority. Certified EMS providers must obtain training through authorized agencies. Paramedics are capable of providing a high level of care in an out-of-hospital setting. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are often the first medical responders dispatched to an emergency. They can provide basic life support services. An Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) is certified to provide limited advanced life support services. In certain areas in California, local EMS systems may certify Mobile Intensive Care Nurses (MICNs). Other EMS providers include public safety personnel such as peace officers, lifeguards, and firefighters.
Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center is dedicated to saving lives by having highly trained providers available at our Emergency Room and Level II Trauma Center during every hour of every day. On average, patients brought to our Emergency Room in Thousand Oaks are seen in fewer than 15 minutes. If you do not have a medical emergency, but wish to contact a registered nurse at our community hospital, you can call (877) 888-5746.