Florida Medical Director Pulls Certifications of 25 Paramedics

[VentMedic]

The comments at the end of the article have some good and some not so good points.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/aug/25...tion-25-parame/

COLLIER COUNTY — Twenty-five North Naples firefighters are no longer allowed to work as paramedics because they haven’t met training requirements set by Collier County Medical Director Dr. Bob Tober.

North Naples Fire Chief Orly Stolts said the move puts good medics out of commission and endangers residents.

“What he’s done is minimized the fire department’s ability to save lives,” Stolts said of Tober. “We’re going to have to stand there and wait to give life-saving medication until an ambulance arrives at the scene. That puts our guys in a pretty hard spot.”

But Tober said he’s actually protecting those residents. He said the 25 firefighters who haven’t met advance life support requirements can still provide basic life support — using defibrillators, administering oxygen, taking blood pressure and setting up intravenous lines.

“It goes without saying that I would do nothing to threaten the public,” Tober said. “As a matter of fact, everything I do is to protect the public.”

In an Aug. 19 letter to Stolts, Collier County EMS Chief Jeff Page identified 19 North Naples firefighters who have not complied with a February “ride time” mandate that requires each of the county’s firefighter-paramedics to work at least one 24-hour shift on an ambulance every quarter. Stolts said arranging to have his firefighters pulled from an engine once a month causes significant scheduling and overtime difficulties.

Six other firefighter didn’t have the proper training records on file, according to the letter.

Stolts said those six firefighters have been working under Tober since 2006, but haven’t yet met new training requirements.

“They understood this clearly. They didn’t meet the directive,” Tober said of the firefighters. “I think they just assumed I wrote the requirements that I wasn’t going to enforce.”

Stolts said Tober has decertified about half of the paramedics.

“We’re down to 17 paramedics that ride the trucks now,” he said. “Four or five a shift is all we have left.”

Tober has been in an ongoing feud with several Collier County fire departments for years.

Most recently he accused North Naples and East Naples firefighters of cheating on a protocols test. However, the state Department of Health declined to investigate Tober’s complaint, saying it was legally insufficient.

Edited August 26, 2009 by VentMedic

[FireMedic65]

I say good for em. It's not hard at all to meet training requirements. Those who complain about leaving the area with out the medics, need to be slapped. I don't want untrained people coming to help me, neither should you. If untrained/qualified personal come to my care and I find out about it, I'll sue. Just wait until one of those idiots hurts or kills someone because of the lack of training.

[Kiwiology]

It’s crazy to force people that want to be a firefighter to become Paramedics also ... is there something that you just haven't grasped about that yet?

Do I need to come over for a sit-down pow-wow with management?

[spenac]

Sad that the fire union is fighting the doctor rather than making it's members improve.

Also have you seen the comments section. Idiots are saying get rid of the doctor. We need to all post on there in favor of the doctor and getting fire out of EMS.

[P_Instructor]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Within emergency medical services a medical director is a physician who provides guidance, leadership, oversight and quality assurance for the practice of local paramedics and EMTs within a predefined area. The medical director is generally responsible for the creation of protocols for treatment by paramedics. The medical director may also assist the EMS agency in extending its scope of practice. While this definition is a fair description of the role in North America, significant variations can occur in other countries and in other health care systems.

Note: In the interest of clarity, medical directors exist in a variety of other settings in addition to EMS. It is largely a generic term used to describe a physician who has responsibility for the medical control and direction of various types of organizations.

Enough said. These gentlemen are working under the medical directors license and need to follow his rules. Rarely do you see a Medical Director that is this involved within the EMS community. I applaude this Medical Director for he is making sure that the Medics that work under his guidance meet the criteria to provide the upmost care.

[CBEMT]

Boo freakin hoo. Good for Tober.

[Lone Star]

This is the comment I left in their 'discussion' on the matter:

• August 26, 2009

• 2:42 p.m.

LoneStar writes:

Ok, let's set the record straight here:

Dr. Tober didn't decertify 25 paramedics because he didn't 'have anything better to do'. He decertified them because they didn't meet the requirements to work as paramedics.

As a former Firefighter and EMT, I can tell you that as the Medical Director, Dr. Tober has EVERY RIGHT to set the licensing requirements for his area. They ARE after all, working under HIS license.

The medics in question should be thrilled that they're allowed to still work even at the BLS (Basic Life Support) level! When requirements for renewing a medical license aren’t met, the license is suspended or revoked.

I'm a 'former EMT' because I wasn't able to meet the requirements for renewing my license (the details are irrelevant). I did NOT 'lose my license' due to any wrongdoing on my part or as part of some 'disciplinary action' against me.

If a paramedic isn't interested enough in following the protocols (set forth by the Medical Director) to keep their licenses current and valid; are you SURE you want THAT medic taking care of you or one of your loved ones? I know I wouldn't! If they're not 'interested enough' to keep their license current, what's to say that they're 'interested enough' to follow the other protocols of patient care that were set forth by the Medical Director?

The 'problem' (as I see it) is this: There are too many people that have no clue how 'things work' in EMS (whether Fire Department based, or private carrier), and they're spouting off like some sort of 'expert' when they know nothing at all!

Before you condemn Dr. Tober for his actions, maybe you should take the time to really understand 'how things work' and THEN consider WHY he did what he did.

Bottom line is this: If you can't be 'bothered' with meeting the requirements to keep your license current, then you don't get to have one! It's no different than renewing a hunting license, a concealed carry license or a driver’s license.

Rather than condemn Dr. Tober, you should feel very fortunate that you have a Medical Director that is this involved in keeping the public safe, and support his actions!

[spenac]

Excellent response. It is obvious the union has put people up to responding against DR Tober.

[FireMedic65]

it won't let me make an account to rant on their message board

[HERBIE1]

This is the comment I left in their 'discussion' on the matter:

• August 26, 2009

• 2:42 p.m.

LoneStar writes:

Ok, let's set the record straight here:

Dr. Tober didn't decertify 25 paramedics because he didn't 'have anything better to do'. He decertified them because they didn't meet the requirements to work as paramedics.

As a former Firefighter and EMT, I can tell you that as the Medical Director, Dr. Tober has EVERY RIGHT to set the licensing requirements for his area. They ARE after all, working under HIS license.

The medics in question should be thrilled that they're allowed to still work even at the BLS (Basic Life Support) level! When requirements for renewing a medical license aren't met, the license is suspended or revoked.

I'm a 'former EMT' because I wasn't able to meet the requirements for renewing my license (the details are irrelevant). I did NOT 'lose my license' due to any wrongdoing on my part or as part of some 'disciplinary action' against me.

If a paramedic isn't interested enough in following the protocols (set forth by the Medical Director) to keep their licenses current and valid; are you SURE you want THAT medic taking care of you or one of your loved ones? I know I wouldn't! If they're not 'interested enough' to keep their license current, what's to say that they're 'interested enough' to follow the other protocols of patient care that were set forth by the Medical Director?

The 'problem' (as I see it) is this: There are too many people that have no clue how 'things work' in EMS (whether Fire Department based, or private carrier), and they're spouting off like some sort of 'expert' when they know nothing at all!

Before you condemn Dr. Tober for his actions, maybe you should take the time to really understand 'how things work' and THEN consider WHY he did what he did.

Bottom line is this: If you can't be 'bothered' with meeting the requirements to keep your license current, then you don't get to have one! It's no different than renewing a hunting license, a concealed carry license or a driver's license.

Rather than condemn Dr. Tober, you should feel very fortunate that you have a Medical Director that is this involved in keeping the public safe, and support his actions!

Well put.

Th union's stance is a red herring. This is a labor/management issue.