CCPT Hosts Patient Safety Discussions: Lessons Learned from the Life-Guard Aviation

Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation Services was pleased to welcome our peers from both the Roanoke Memorial OR team as well the Quality & Patient Safety Department yesterday. The first of a lecture series regarding patient safety was presented by Paul Davenport, Sr. Director. The lecture entitled, "Why Hospitals Should Fly: Patient Safety Lessons from Aviation Emergency Medical Services" allowed our team to share valuable safety lessons with our colleagues. The presentation, based largely on the book "Why Hospitals Should Fly" by John J. Nance, JD, allowed the audience to better understand the principles of Crew Resource Management (CRM) and how we, at CCPT, make these principles a priority in our everyday practices, in order to promote both patient and crew safety. Three of our Air Methods pilots were also there to share their perspective from the aviators' side of our operations. It was a great opportunity for all to share ideas from both the inpatient and prehospital environments. We look forward to hosting the same presentation with the Roanoke Memorial CCU team later this week.

Updated 12/10/10: CCU Team Visits

4th Annual Camp Carilion

CCPT was proud to host the Camp Carilion students today here at our Roanoke office. Every summer, Carilion Clinic invites local middle school students to attend our hospital-based camp. The students are given the opportunity to explore different health care careers by visiting a variety of areas in the hospital throughout the week. Today was Day 2 of the Camp; the group spent the first half of the day touring our Roanoke ambulance base as well as the Life-Guard 10 hangar. After meeting some of our crews, the students then attended an on-site CPR training with our own Training Coordinator, Johnny Nicely and Lieutenant Mark Altman.
We hope the kids enjoyed their day as much as we enjoyed having them. Hope to see some of them back in a few years as job applicants!

Photo Gallery:

Heart Attack Patient Meets Rescuers Who Saved Her Life

On May 16th, Norma Anderson and her family learned first hand, the amazing results that can happen when an integrated public safety system and health care system are put into action.
On that day, Norma went into cardiac arrest while traveling with friends and family on Route 220 in Franklin County, VA. Her care began with Sergeant Dan Hale (Franklin Co. Sheriff's Dept.), and continued with Franklin County Public Safety, Carilion Franklin Memorial, Carilion Clinic Life-Guard, and ultimately Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The entire emergency response was an excellent example of Carilion Clinic's Heart Alert program at work. Thanks to ongoing training and education between pre-hospital providers and Carilion Clinic, patients like Norma Anderson are given the best possible chance to survive a critical cardiac event.
This past Sunday, Ms. Anderson got to meet her rescuers and caregivers at our offices here at CCPT, and thank them all in person.
It was an amazingly emotional reunion; a rare opportunity for EMS providers to reconnect with one of their patients and share in the good outcome that they made possible. Thanks to all who took the time to come out and participate! See further details on the reunion on WSET's web site.

Life-Guard 10 Visits Moneta Rescue for LZ Training

We enjoyed beautiful weather, great company, and a bonus ice cream social at Moneta Rescue Squad last night. Thanks to all who came out to visit with the Life-Guard 10 crew and learn more about landing zone safety. We truly enjoyed seeing everyone and getting to meet some of your families. Thanks for hosting the event!

CCPT Proudly Announces Renewed CAMTS Accreditation

The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems is dedicated to improving the quality of patient care and safety of the transport environment for services providing rotorwing, fixed wing and ground transport systems.
CCPT's commitment to going through this voluntary process is one example of our focus on providing service excellence to our surrounding communities.
We are very pleased to announce that we successfully completed our recent site survey and have been granted renewed accreditation for the next three years.

Release from CAMTS:

The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems is proud to announce that Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation, a rotorwing, ground critical care, ground ALS, and ground BLS service, was again awarded accreditation on April 10, 2010. Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation provides highly skilled flight nurse/paramedic/EMT teams to care for adult, pediatric and neonatal patients. Carilion Clinic Life-Guard operates and maintains the two Eurocopter helicopters. The program operates their own ground service.”

Congratulations to all of the dedicated members who make up our team; without them, achievements such as this would not be possible!

CCPT Leadership Team Attends MTLI

Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation's leadership team proudly recognizes Dr. Carol Gilbert, OMD-CCPT, on her recent graduation from the Medical Transport Leadership Institute (MTLI) as a Certified Medical Transport Executive (CMTE).
MTLI is an extensive two year program that focuses on leadership and overall operational development of leaders in the Medical Transport Community. A very small number of leaders in the country have this certification.
In addition to Dr. Gilbert completing the CMTE, the following leadership staff attended other parts of the MTLI school:

Paul Davenport, Sr. Director-MTLI Regent
Charles Coffelt, Director-attended Graduate School
Susan Smith, Director-attended Graduate School
Jeff McKinney, Manager-attended Graduate School
Craig McCown, Manager-attended Graduate School
Kim Rorrer, Manager-attended Graduate School
Melanie Morris, Manager-Completed first year

Congratulations to all the members of the leadership team on their continued education!

CCPT Welcomes Visitors from Thailand

CCPT was pleased to welcome 2 members of the Rotary International Group Study Exchange (GSE) Program today at our Roanoke base. The Rotary Foundation's GSE Program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. For 4 to 6 weeks, team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, and exchange ideas.
Our visitors today were both from Thailand: Orathai Tiangtam, RN and Rujapa Jiamtanopachai, Nurse Practioner, were given a full tour of our CCPT/Life-Guard operations.
We wish them well during their visits and hope that Carilion Clinic added a high point to their experience!

(pictured above, L to R: Doug Wright, RN, Rujapa Jiamtanopachai, NP, Chase Bower, NREMT-P, Orathai Tiangtam, RN, and Kevin Peters, Safety Officer)

Life-Guard Medical Director Discusses Experience in Haiti

Click here to read more about our own Dr. Carol Gilbert's experience in Haiti

Carilion Clinic Life Guard Announces 6th Annual StarPoints Symposium

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, April 10th
Location: Vinton War Memorial (Vinton, VA)

Carilion Clinic Life-Guard and Carilion Clinic Corporate University are pleased to announce StarPoints Symposium 2010. This conference is designed for EMS providers, critical care nurses, physicians, or other health care providers who desire to enhance their knowledge of current trends of pre-hospital and emergency care.

Conference registration will be opening soon, with a deadline of April 1st. Register early to ensure your spot!

Conference highlights this year include:
-Air Care track
-Intro. to Tactical Medicine Track
-Intro. to Underwater Rescue Track
-Leadership Track

Also, back by popular demand, we will have Bob Page presenting at this year's conference.

Stay tuned for further conference and registration details.

Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation OMD helps in Haiti

Dr. Carol Gilbert, Trauma Surgeon and Operational Medical Director for CCPT has been deployed to Haiti. She was sent as a member of VA-1 DMAT to assist with medical treatment and relief. Dr. Gilbert is a seasoned trauma surgeon and has extensive experience in EMS/Rescue. Her lifesaving medical skills and experience will be a great asset to the relief efforts.