I think the big motivator for a long successful EMS career, is more working conditions (equipment, protocols, and physical buildings) and the type of calls the service runs. This is really why Fire based EMS and EMS as a third service tends to be the “premiere” place to be employed. Typically non-profit driven pay scales, good benefits, good equipment, kick ass schedules and most importantly, more “exciting” calls. Your previous post laid out the benefits and the detractions from the two services above. I strongly believe that profit as a motivator tends to kill the patient care, versus who your employer is. After all a Private EMS company is a business that HAS TO make a profit to survive and that in turn compromises the ability to care for a patient “at any cost”. I think a non-profit, but for specifically government based (Fire or Third Service, and my conservative side cringes at the thought) tend to be able to eat the cost of more aggressive and costly protocols and procedures. After all we’re saving lives here and you can’t put a price on that, or at least that’s what our tax marketing campaigns say.

The solution is not to push for a new company to hire good employees and pay them well. The solution is to push for ALL EMS providers to better the profession and let the market see the need for a better value add service. I'm sorry to say, but EMS needs to be a degreed field for both Basics and Medics. Greater Education, drives a greater service, drives a better pay scale. Throw in ALOT of public education (ala “I'm not just an ambulance driver”) and MAYBE you'll see an improvement in the field. We've got a LONG way to go.

The thing you really have right in this post is really obscured by the “other data”… That WE as EMS providers, regardless of what type of service you work for, have the power to change and push this field to where WE think it needs to be. I’m just finding your blog now, and reading some of the other posts you have, I just may need to add this to my regular blog reading, keep up the good work!

Sincerely,
A Happy Degreed FF/Medic

I think the big motivator for a long successful EMS career, is more working conditions (equipment, protocols, and physical buildings) and the type of calls the service runs. This is really why Fire based EMS and EMS as a third service tends to be the “premiere” place to be employed. Typically non-profit driven pay scales, good benefits, good equipment, kick ass schedules and most importantly, more “exciting” calls. Your previous post laid out the benefits and the detractions from the two services above. I strongly believe that profit as a motivator tends to kill the patient care, versus who your employer is. After all a Private EMS company is a business that HAS TO make a profit to survive and that in turn compromises the ability to care for a patient “at any cost”. I think a non-profit, but for specifically government based (Fire or Third Service, and my conservative side cringes at the thought) tend to be able to eat the cost of more aggressive and costly protocols and procedures. After all we’re saving lives here and you can’t put a price on that, or at least that’s what our tax marketing campaigns say.

The solution is not to push for a new company to hire good employees and pay them well. The solution is to push for ALL EMS providers to better the profession and let the market see the need for a better value add service. I'm sorry to say, but EMS needs to be a degreed field for both Basics and Medics. Greater Education, drives a greater service, drives a better pay scale. Throw in ALOT of public education (ala “I'm not just an ambulance driver”) and MAYBE you'll see an improvement in the field. We've got a LONG way to go.

The thing you really have right in this post is really obscured by the “other data”… That WE as EMS providers, regardless of what type of service you work for, have the power to change and push this field to where WE think it needs to be. I’m just finding your blog now, and reading some of the other posts you have, I just may need to add this to my regular blog reading, keep up the good work!

Sincerely,
A Happy Degreed FF/Medic

The biggest problem I see with this is the fact that ambulance choice seems to be picked largely on price…i.e. the cheapest after medicare picks up some of the bill.

In order to pay the medics more then wouldn't you have to charge more….conversely working against the profitable bottom line ambulance company down the street.

The biggest problem I see with this is the fact that ambulance choice seems to be picked largely on price…i.e. the cheapest after medicare picks up some of the bill.

In order to pay the medics more then wouldn't you have to charge more….conversely working against the profitable bottom line ambulance company down the street.