Washington State paramedic Shaughn Maxwell won a second EMS 10 Innovator award this year for his innovation in changing state laws to allow EMS providers to give care in the home without requiring transport to the hospital.
Shaughn compiled and coordinated a multi-disciplinary coalition from across the state for a change in laws to allow community paramedicine. These meetings built a consensus between the Governors senior health advisors, Secretary of Health, numerous legislators, the hospital association, home health association, nurses association, county executive, county sheriff, public health officer, firefighters associations, state fire chiefs association, state fire commissioners association as well as many more, including insurance and managed care representatives and lobbyists.
This same multi-disciplinary statewide coalition testified to Washington State House and Senate committees compelling them to change a 40-year-old law. This effort to pass a new law was successfully completed in one legislative session and resulted in making the practice of community paramedicine legal in Washington State.
A historical barrier has been removed, which now allows EMTs and paramedics in Washington State to be part of the healthcare solution community paramedicine. This is due to the innovative EMS thinking by Shaughn Maxwell.
Thanks again to Physio-Control for sponsoring this and other episodes of Innovations in Patient Care. Make sure you say thank you to them.
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