CINCINNATIPhysicians, nurses and educators from the University of Cincinnati departments of emergency medicine, trauma and critical care and cardiology, along with Cincinnati Childrens Medical Center, University Hospital Air Care and Mobile Care and UC Health West Chester Hospital, are partnering to hold the
2012 EMS Midwest Conference, an educational conference discussing the latest in EMS knowledge for local and regional EMS departments.
The 2012 EMS Midwest Conference will be held Saturday, Feb. 18, and Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason.
During the conference, UC faculty will present research and best practices for EMS services on topics including traumatic brain injury, sepsis care, pediatric disaster preparedness, toxicological emergencies and managing new cardiology technology.
Surgeons from UCs division of trauma and critical care will discuss how military medicine in Iraq and Afghanistan has affected resuscitation techniques and emergency medicine researchers will present the latest research findings from 2011 in oxygen delivery and treating heart attacks.
In cardiology, EMS squads will learn about managing new cardiac technologies like Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD).
"These fieldsemergency medicine, trauma and critical care, pediatrics and cardiologyare constantly changing and evolving, says Donald Locasto, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine and medical director for the Cincinnati Fire Department. "It is important that the care rendered in the field by our EMS colleagues be up to date, and this conference provides the education to do just that.
"Were very excited to bring together all of these specialists for an excellent educational event in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Fire Department Chief Richard Braun will address the conference Saturday morning to discuss "The Shifting of Fire Departments Primary Focus from Fire to EMS.
Locasto says the lecture will highlight one of Brauns initiatives to provide better care to the citys citizens and visitors. Additionally, on Sunday, the department will provide a review of the EMS and Rescue response to the recent casino collapse.
Sundays keynote speaker, Randolph Mantooth, played firefighter/paramedic Johnny Gage in the iconic television series "Emergency!, which debuted in 1972. The show was the first to portray the work of paramedics and coincided with the widespread adoption and improvement of emergency medical service programs across the country.
"In EMS, we are a profession that constantly needs to be updated into the best practices that medicine has, says Kay Vonderschmidt, assistant director of the division of emergency medical services in UCs Department of Emergency Medicine.
"At UC, part of our philosophy and mission is community outreachand who better to serve than EMS professionals and critical care nurses who are bringing patients into the hospital? We want to give them the best practices and the newest innovations that we are researching so they can take it back to their community and perform better patient care.
