The EMS Medical Operations Committee (EMS MOC) is a standing committee of the board representing the emergency medical leadership throughout the region. The committee promotes communication and cooperation among the members of the EMS community and with system partners such as emergency physicians, emergency nurses, critical care personnel, hospital pharmacists, hospital administrators, public health and with the Virginia Office of EMS. The committee provides general regional coordination and collaboration using compromise and consensus which neither oppress the minority nor sacrifice delivery of quality patient care. The committee may create subcommittees, task forces and work groups as necessary to accomplish its job.
Job Description:
1.Evaluate and revise from time to time regional medical protocols for consideration by the regional operational medical directors committee utilizing quality improvement processes and review of current medical science and emergency medicine trends.
2.Evaluate and revise from time to time regional policies related to EMS educational programs, regional completion criteria, regional clinical and preceptor policy and related matters for consideration by the regional operational medical directors committee. Support collaborative relationships between academic institutions, private educators and EMS agency training personnel.
3.Create, evaluate and revise from time to time other regional policies or plans (such as ambulance diversion, ambulance restocking, IV and drug box, mass casualty, communications, etc) which the committee determines to be in the best interest of the regional EMS system or are required by the Virginia Office of EMS. Submit policies for consideration by the regional operational medical directors committee if the policy is patient care related, and/or by the Board of Directors if the policy relates to the governance of the organization. The committee chair should consult with the President of the Board of Directors for clarification as needed.
4.Review and provide grades and comments on Virginia EMS grant requests submitted by EMS agencies in the Southside Tidewater area (old planning district 20).
5.Support EMS provider recruitment and retention programs and EMS public awareness programs.
6.Maintain EMS provider access to and coordinated response of a critical incident stress management team.
7.Seek standardization of protocols and medications, and, as appropriate, plans, policies and processes within the region and with the neighboring Peninsulas EMS region.
8.Monitor EMS communications effectiveness and plan improvements as necessary to ensure the ability of all EMS vehicles to communicate with each other and with each hospital. Encourage implementation of and support emergency medical dispatch programs in each locality.
9.Sponsor and support ongoing local and regional EMS quality improvement programs.
10.Ensure that the EMS system is prepared to effectively handle mass casualties using structured incident command; standardized approaches to triage, treatment and transportation; robust caches of supplies and equipment; effective mutual aid and integration with the Metropolitan Medical Response System.
11.Promote laws and policies that sustain and improve the EMS system and result in injury and illness prevention.

Membership: The voting membership will consist of one appointed senior EMS representative from each of the political jurisdictions within the region, an emergency department nurse manager, an emergency physician, a hospital pharmacist, a hospital administrator, a public health director representative, a commercial EMS agency representative, a special operations (technical rescue, hazardous materials) representative, a Navy EMS representative, a Nightingale Air Ambulance representative and a TEMS board member if not already a member. Membership will also include a non-voting representative of the Virginia Office of EMS. A member may be represented by an alternate who will possess the member’s authority to represent the jurisdiction or organization.

Appointments will be sought every odd year from the chief EMS operational officer of jurisdictions, chief executive officer of a jurisdiction if there is no chief EMS officer, and the chief executive officer of all other organizations represented.

Other individuals are invited to participate in committee deliberations without a vote.

The Chair is appointed for two year terms by the Council President upon recommendation of the committee and may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

Meetings: The committee will meet six times each year at times and locations agreed upon by a majority of voting members, or more often at the discretion of the chair or upon request of one-quarter of its voting members.

Revised, Board of Directors, October 14, 2004