166704 Effect of state legislative policies on meeting EMSC performance measures

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Tasmeen Singh, MPH, NREMTP , Emergency Medical Services for Children National Resource Center, Children's National Medical Center, Silver Spring, MD
Karen Belli , Emergency Medical Services for Children National Resource Center, Children's National Medical Center, Silver Spring, MD
Stephen Forest, MPH, CHES , Emergency Medical Services for Children National Resource Center, Children's National Medical Center, Silver Spring, MD
  
Background: The federal Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program has provided grants to all 50 states, DC, and the territories. Since 2006, grantees are accountable to meet specific performance measures (PM). Objective: To describe the relationship between states/territories legislative policies and the ability to meet PMs. Methods: We analyzed statutes and regulations from all states/territories and compared it to data on their PMs. Results: Forty three states/territories submitted data. Regarding the operational capacity of emergency departments to care for children; 6 states/territories had statutes related to designation of hospitals capable of handling pediatric emergencies. Of these, 1 state/territory reported meeting the target for this PM as compared to 12 without statutes meeting the PM target (p>0.05). Nine states/territories had statutes related to interfacility transfer of children. Of these, 2 reported meeting the PM compared to 8 states/territories without statutes meeting the PM (p>0.05). For the PM related to the operational capacity to provide prehospital pediatric care; 2 states/territories had statutes on pediatric medical direction for ambulances. Of these, 2 reported meeting this PM as compared to 24 without statutes meeting the PM (p>0.05). Thirteen states had regulations, 4 had statutes, and 7 had both a regulation and statute related to mandating pediatric equipment on ambulances. Of these, 9 met this PM as compared to 11 states without statutes/regulations meeting this PM (p>0.05). Thirteen states/territories had regulations, 8 had statutes, and 1 had both a regulation and statute related to mandating pediatric training for recertification of paramedics. Of these, 11 states/territories met the PM versus 10 without statutes/regulations meeting the PM (p>0.05). Conclusion: Most states do not have statutes or regulations to address basic components of operational capacity to provide pediatric emergency care. There is no relationship between legislative policies and the ability of states to meet PMs in EMSC.

Learning Objectives:
1) Describe the role of state statutes and regulations in ensuring operational capacity to provide pediatric emergency care. 2) Analyze the relationship between state statutes and regulations to meeting federal performance measures. 3) Describe the ability to states to accurately report data on federal performance measures.

Keywords: Legislative, Children and Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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