New statewide protocols roll out for EMS agencies in West Virginia

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Thanks to new protocols put in place, EMTs and paramedics in West Virginia may now be able to save you a trip to the hospital if you’re ever in an accident or hurt.

At the beginning of July, the West Virginia Department of Health (WVDH) rolled out new protocols for EMS agencies across the state which will open up the ability for EMTs and paramedics to treat ailments in the field, according to WVDH Secretary Dr. Sherri Young.

Dr. Young told 12 News that the passage of these new “treat in place” protocols by the state legislature was made possible through some of the WVDH’s initiatives with the state.

“And what that means through our policies and procedures, we have opened up the ability for our EMS providers—being our EMTs and paramedics, for them to treat in the field and to treat in place,” said Young.

Prior to this change, EMS professionals did not have the ability to treat ailments in the field. Therefore, patients would have to decide whether they wanted to be taken to an acute care facility, an emergency room, or to not have any treatment issued at all.

“With this, we have the ability to treat a patient where they are at the time of their need,” Young said. “And what this does, this eliminates the need for having to take someone to the emergency room, having a long-awaited visit—tying up an ambulance for a community, and a lot of the other downstream effects that we see from not needing to transport a patient.”

Dr. Young said that the WVDH hasn’t had time to do any time studies yet, but it has begun implementing the “treat in place” method as of July 1. “And the feedback that we’re getting from the EMS community is very good,” she added.

Before July, patients would have to be transported regardless of what their need is. Young said that the patients ultimately decide if they want to go, but that there are instances where EMTs and paramedics can treat patients in the field right where they are.

“That saves time from having to go to the emergency room, that also saves the patient time,” said Young. “That saves them the exposure of being exposed to other illnesses within the emergency department … If we do not have to make that transport, then that puts another truck back into service a lot more quickly.”

To put these new protocols in place, the WVDH released some education to EMS personnel regarding how they can treat some common illnesses that they see almost every day, and how to implement their new education. There was no cost associated with these changes.

“In fact, it should be a cost savings because we’re decreasing the amount of time that we’re paying for our EMTs and paramedics to be with patients while they’re still in the emergency department,” said Young.

Young added that treating more patients in the field will prevent many of them from having to pay for emergency room expenses and that it will also save money for the state and insurance companies.

These new protocols build upon Governor Jim Justice’s “Answer the Call” initiative, which Young said has helped EMTs and paramedics agencies across the state see a staff increase of 75%. “If we didn’t have that, we wouldn’t have the great workforce that we do right now,” she said.

During the pandemic, Young said that many people left the healthcare field in general. “And for our EMTs and paramedics—the people who treat us and the people who are there for us on the very worst days when we need those heroes here,” she added. “They are finally answering the call thanks to Governor Justice’s initiative here.”

Young said that this initiative has more people going into EMS services, adding that they’ve built that workforce and must continue to do so. “We need to enable them with the ability to treat in the field, we need to enable them to work to their capacity so that we can get that care out to patients,” she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.