Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Specialist

Under direction, to plan, organize, coordinate, direct, manage, supervise, and monitor the County's emergency medical services system, which may include, EMS personnel, volunteers, provider agencies and/or facilities, in order to establish and ensure compliance with the California Health and Safety Code, California Code of Regulations, and the County's code, regulations, policies, protocols, guidelines, and contracts for operation of the emergency medical services system and its components.

• Coordinates and manages assigned emergency medical services program activities, including planning, prioritizing, monitoring for quality assurance and quality improvement, and participating in the agency-wide program meetings regarding program activities;
   
• Provides daily direction to external municipal and private personnel related to the provision of emergency medical services;
   
• Prepares contracts for services, manages contracts, monitors contract compliance, manages contract finances and other contract related activities;
   
• Prepares reports requiring the collection and analysis of data;
   
• Oversees and/or participates in the development, implementation, and maintenance of program goals, objectives, policies, and procedures to ensure achievement of program goals;
   
• Monitors activities and evaluates performance of emergency medical services providers, including EMTs, paramedics, Emergency Medical Dispatchers, Mobile Intensive Care Nurses, EMS Flight crew personnel, and other pre-hospital care providers and equipment identified in the California Health and Safety Code, the California Code of Regulations, County code, regulations, and/or EMS policy;
   
• Provides administrative and technical direction to assigned program services staff to ensure compliance with various reporting requirements;
   
• Analyzes program services and evaluates changes and development of assigned health care program needs;
   
• Researches and applies for program funding sources, such as grants and donations; administers grants to ensure compliance with regulations;
   
• Coordinates program activities with agencies, service providers, and non-profit services;
   
• Provides staff assistance and technical support for assigned program activities to other County departments and special interest commissions and committees;
   
• Conducts organizational and operational service delivery studies and makes recommendations to address and resolve identified service delivery issues;
   
• Assists hospitals and private and public safety agencies in planning, implementing, and maintaining pre-hospital emergency care programs;
   
• Establishes comprehensive stakeholder relationships and assists and advises field and hospital emergency care personnel, communication personnel, medical-health professionals, community-based organizations, and the public on matters pertaining to emergency medical service;
   
• Develops and coordinates the EMS component of disaster medical response and mass casualty incident plans and assists in the development of public health disaster response plans and procedures;
   
• Responds to, coordinates, and manages disaster medical and mass casualty incidents;
   
• Investigates complaints of suspected violations of emergency medical care standards, policies, protocols, the County's Health and Welfare Codes, and State Health and Safety Codes;
   
• Makes routine and unannounced inspections of EMS providers, including ambulance providers, paramedic units, base hospitals, and trauma hospitals;
   
• Monitors emergency medical service delivery to ensure medical appropriateness and continuity of patient care;
   
• Provides regulatory oversight, general assistance, and monitoring of educational institutions involved in training of emergency pre-hospital care personnel;
   
• Participates in and makes presentations at organizational and community meetings as necessary;
   
• Stays current on issues related to assigned programs and services; responds to and resolves community and organizational inquiries and complaints;
   
• Establishes effective working relationships with representatives of community organizations, state/local agencies, management, staff, clients, and the public;
   
• Uses specialized software and equipment, including electronic emergency management programs, electronic hospital and disaster management systems, electronic patient tracking system, portable and mobile radios, satellite telephones, wireless applications and emergency towing vehicle;
   
• May prepare and administer annual budget for one or more assigned programs and monitor expenditures;
   
• May be assigned duties within the County's Emergency Operations Center, Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System's Department Operations Center, and/or deployed on out-of-county mutual aid requests on behalf of the County;
   
• May create, coordinate, and deliver medical/health training and community education to EMS personnel, volunteers, and members of the public;
   
• May manage assigned websites, including regular updates, adding pages and materials and making structural changes;
   
• May monitor and measure internet and social medial outreach and communications across platforms; develops and implements improvements;
   
• May be assigned supervisory duties of subordinate emergency personnel and oversight of contractors and volunteers as required.
   
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
   
• Performs related duties, as required.

Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities:

Training and Experience Note:  The required knowledge and abilities are attained through training and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree in Health Care Administration, Nursing, Public Administration, or a related field;
  
Three (3) years of emergency medical services experience.
 
A Master's Degree in one of the disciplines listed above may be substituted for one (1) year of emergency medical services experience.
 
Special Requirements:

• Possession of a valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse, Paramedic, or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in the State of California;
   
• Must complete Emergency Vehicle Operators/Operations Course (EVOC) within six (6) months of appointment;
   
• Possession of a valid California Driver's License prior to appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County Driver authorization.

 
Knowledge of:

• Basic principles, practices and utilization of the Incident Command System, Standardized Emergency Management System, National Incident Management System, and the California Public Health/Medical Emergency Operations Manual;
   
• Principles and practices of pre-hospital care system management relating to one or more specialized service delivery programs;
   
• Healthcare organizational structure and program components;
   
• Principles and practices of program administration, including budgeting, marketing, purchasing, management, and program needs forecasting;
   
• Current legislation and trends affecting healthcare providers for assigned program areas;
   
• Program development and evaluation methods and report-writing procedures;
   
• Medical terminology;
   
• Basic principles, practices, and methods of training, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement;
   
• Basic statistical and research methods;
   
• Basic knowledge of investigative methods and disciplinary processes used within the EMS System.

 
Ability to:

• Organize, coordinate, and supervise the work of subordinate staff and oversee contractors and/or volunteers;
   
• Operate current communication and information system technologies used in emergency/disaster response;
   
• Coordinate the activities of a large program or multiple program components;
   
• Direct the work of others performing service delivery in assigned healthcare specialty areas;
   
• Coordinate the assigned healthcare programs with other healthcare agencies;
   
• Formulate, gather, analyze, and present financial, informational, and statistical data;
   
• Integrate the activities of a program to attain program goals;
   
• Analyze, interpret, and explain program policies and procedures;
   
• Elicit community and organizational support for programs;
   
• Represent Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System and the County of Santa Clara on assigned committees and with service providers;
   
• Understand, apply, and implement Federal, State, and County codes, ordinances, regulations, and approved standards and guidelines for pre-hospital emergency care;
   
• Apply the tools of a specialty subject area, as appropriate;
   
• Instruct individuals and groups in pre-hospital emergency care;
   
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, various agencies, and other County employees;
   
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, sometimes under highly stressful conditions.

• While assigned as Duty Chief, must respond to an emergency call within ten (10) minutes by phone or radio and must be within forty-five (45) minutes of Santa Clara County.
• Wear and maintain personal protective equipment, as needed.