Austin/Travis County Medical Director Steps Down

[bigj1130]

http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?s=8978528

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/b...bctid1784553641

http://www.statesman.com/search/content/ne.../0910racht.html

Dr. Ed Racht has decided to leave Austin Travis County EMS after 13 years of service. He is pursuing a new career path in Atlanta Ga. but I do not know all the details of it. This genuinely has me concerned because part of the reason I came to Austin was to work under Ed. I hope our new medical director just doesn't destroy our system with regressive protocols or paramedic engines. Just my opinion, we may not have been the most progressive system under Ed, but I believe we were the most effective system. Meaning what we did we did it well and we worked well with our county first responders and Austin Fire. I think our integrated training and good working relationship from the top down helped us in that way. I think Ed definitely had something to do with this and I just hope our new medical director doesn't foul it up. Let me know what y'all think

[Dustdevil]

Dr. Ed Racht, medical director of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, is resigning effective Nov. 7, he said Tuesday.

Tuesday? I heard about it two weeks ago, lol.

Politics gets to the best of them sooner or later. I share your hopes that Ed's replacement is of similar stock, BigJ. I'd had to see you end up with a Paul Pepe type. :shock:

[p3medic]

Our medical director is retiring at the end of the year, send him up!

[Dustdevil]

Ya know, even though I adamantly oppose anything like "statewide" or "nationwide" protocols or SoP, I'd like to see someone like Dr. Ed as the National Medical Director. We could weed a lot of dead weight losers out of EMS in a relatively short time! Can you imagine what putting a few guys like him, Bryan Bledsoe, Norm McSwain, Doczilla and ERDoc in Washington to take EMS away from the firemonkeys would accomplish for the profession?

Oh, and lets not forget that Medical Director in Collier County, Floridia too! =D>

[Doczilla]

It's interesting how there is some shuffling around of names we know. Jim Augustine went from Atlanta to DC, Racht headed from Travis to Atlanta. I'm curious to see who takes Racht's place.

'zilla

[bigj1130]

It's interesting how there is some shuffling around of names we know. Jim Augustine went from Atlanta to DC, Racht headed from Travis to Atlanta. I'm curious to see who takes Racht's place.

'zilla

doc we are too, say you wouldn't be interested in a career change would you? Whatever happens I just hope like dust said, Pepe isn't an applicant. I think as long as our protocols don't regress we will be good. It is going to be hard to replace Ed, He was a great director , and one of the only docs I know that said flatly to us during our academy, "Here's my number, call me anytime you need something day or night. If i can't get to you we will work it out over the phone." That sold me on being here right then and there.

[Doczilla]

I'd love to, but probably don't have the experience they are looking for. That, and I don't have the money to pay back my signing bonus here yet.

'zilla

[AnthonyM83]

Any word on the medical director?

[bigj1130]

Nothing yet Dr. Kempema from Brackenridge has taken it on an interim basis. The system anticipates taking about a year to find our new medical director

[rehablady]

Over the past 4 years I have had the privilege of getting to know Dr. Ed Racht on a Professional level and on a personal level as well and it's been a wonderful friendship. I know a lot more than I am willing to share on the subject of his departure and I will say it's not that I don't want to tell all of you, it's that out of deep respect for Dr. Racht's personal life and confidence in me I know he would want to tell you himself. He is a wonderful teacher,leader,and an inspiration to all in EMS and all who believe in EMS. I will say that he is moving on in his professional career and would like to think we would not speculate on the specifics of his sudden departure. As for all who knew him, he is not far away in emails and letters and his family will always keep him safe just so they can share his life with us now and in the future.

Cheryl Lassiter- Director

Volunteer Mobile Emergency Response Unit

1712 E. Riverside Dr. # 267

Austin, Texas 78741