Revised January 2007
Introduction
NAEMT is the oldest and largest EMS member association, representing all EMTs and Paramedics regardless of where they work. The mission of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians is to represent and serve Emergency Medical Services personnel through advocacy, educational programs and research.
This Strategic Plan maps out NAEMT’s goals, strategies and action items for a two-year period. The Strategic Plan reflects the organization’s Policy Platform and the ongoing activities of the association. This plan is the result of careful listening, thinking, discussion and planning by the organization’s leadership.
For the purposes of this document and the NAEMT planning process, the following definitions have been used:
A policy is a position or belief of the association.
The policy platform is a collection of important policies the association will focus on during a given period of time.
A strategic plan is a document that translates the beliefs and ongoing work of the association into goals, strategies and action items.
A goal is a statement of a desired measurable result.
A strategy is an approach or possible approach to achieving the goal and may be dynamic as translated into action.
An action item is a specific step or task that can be clearly defined and assigned to a committee, group or individual to carry out.
Neither the Policy Platform nor the Strategic Plan encompass everything the association will do during the stated time period. Both documents will remain as works in progress during the stated time period with major updates every two years.
NAEMT’s View of the Near Future
NAEMT will fulfill its mission by increasing its involvement in national EMS issues, projects and research on behalf of its members; increasing its membership; and expanding and developing its educational programs to the highest level possible.
Areas of Strategic Planning
I. EMS Workforce Issues
II. Cooperation and Relationships in EMS
III. Federal Leadership in EMS
IV. Universal Access to EMS Care and Funding
V. Quality Educational Programs
VI. Military EMS Support
VII. Research
VIII. Member benefits/involvement
IX. Division and Committee Functionality and Activity
I. EMS Workforce Issues
Goal:
To identify and impact critical matters influencing the EMS workforce. Define and promote safe, healthy and secure work environments. Become a national leader in spotlighting and addressing EMS workforce issues
Strategy:
Through projects, surveys and research, identify and understand leading workforce issues. Use organizational resources to impact addressable issues. Promote healthy and safe EMS work environments with action from an empowered Health and Safety Task Force.
Action Items:
1. Create and empower an EMS Workforce Committee with representation of general membership to understand and address current EMS workforce issues.
2. Support EMS Workforce for the 21st Century Project.
3. In cooperation with EMS Workforce Committee, conduct workforce survey of NAEMT members.
4. Sponsor one EMS workforce research project annually.
5. Resource, empower and incentivize Health and Safety Task Force, and launch and sustain a Health and Safety campaign.
6. Create section on Web site that provides information and links concerning workforce issues.
7. Conceptualize and plan a professionally facilitated summit addressing national EMS workforce issues.
II. Cooperation and Relationships in EMS
Goal:
Create and maintain strong relationships and partnerships with all relevant national governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations that have an impact on EMS.
Strategy:
Identify agencies, organizations, associations and projects that have an impact on EMS personnel and expand liaison relationships and leadership relationships with those agencies, organizations or projects. Seek involvement in high-impact collaborative projects as identified by the board of directors. Demonstrate open, cooperative attitude toward agencies, organizations, associations and projects.
Action Items:
1. Identify and reach out to agencies, organizations, associations and projects that have a critical impact on EMS personnel.
2. Create a document outlining expectations for liaisons (to be completed February 2007).
3. Assign appropriate and accountable liaisons to agencies, organizations or projects.
4. Make contact with project leadership and seek involvement for NAEMT representatives.
5. Identify important agency, organization and association leaders, and establish working relationships with those leaders.
6. Lead national pre-EMS Week summit in Washington, DC with representatives of agencies, organizations, associations and projects on topics relevant to all of EMS.
III. Federal Leadership in EMS
Goal:
An effective high-level EMS presence within the federal government.
Strategy:
Advocate with other organizations and the larger EMS community for increased EMS presence in federal government. Continue to work with and support Office of EMS in NHTSA and FICEMS. Support efforts to create an EMS caucus.
Action Items:
1. Continue active support of FICEMS, NHTSA Office of EMS and Advocates for EMS projects and initiatives.
2. Continue dialogue with national stakeholders and organizations and appropriate federal agencies in an effort to gain national consensus regarding a federal lead EMS agency.
3. Continue active involvement in the formation of an EMS caucus.
4. Create a position statement supporting the delivery of high-quality EMS regardless of delivery method.
IV. Universal Access to EMS Care and Funding
Goal:
Balanced and equitable funding for EMS (that includes a cost-based methodology) in all geographic locations to ensure reasonable access to emergency medical services.
Strategy:
Work with stakeholder organizations in identifying the true costs of meeting the “unfunded mandate” to provide EMS to all. Advocate with stakeholder organizations for reimbursements that reflect true costs.
Action Items:
1. Increase public and congressional awareness about the lack of funding for the mandate for EMS organizations to provide care and service to all regardless of ability to pay.
2. Through Advocates for EMS and AAA, develop or work with existing tools to specifically target and identify the cost of providing EMS.
3. Gain stakeholder consensus on the necessary data to advocate for cost-based reimbursement.
4. Publish and distribute finding about cost vs. reimbursement.
V. Quality Educational Programs
Goal:
Quality EMS educational programs that meet needs of providers and public and are financially self supporting.
Strategy:
Provide leadership, information, resources to improve and grow existing programs from a clinical and business operational standpoint. Create realistic business and marketing plans for each existing program. Explore creation of public layperson disaster preparedness program (taught by EMS providers).
Action Items:
1. Each educational program (PHTLS, AMLS and EPC) will develop and complete Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT), strategic plan and marketing plan by February 28, 2007. Cross-market educational programs.
2. Use plans mentioned above to develop business operation and financial goals for organization.
3. Coordinate all educational programs’ international business in an effort to provide consistent, quality and organizational continuity.
4. Have Education Committee explore:
* the development of a Family Education About Disaster program;
* educational opportunities with the International Life Support Foundation; and
* other educational opportunities as they present themselves.
5. Continue to expand international membership through our educational programs.
VI. Military EMS Support
Goal:
Be a resource to the military EMS community on maintaining credentials and obtaining necessary CE.
Strategy:
Identify areas of needed information and utilize NAEMT resources and contacts to create information source, materials and distribution process.
Action Items:
1. Military Division to create resource materials to be posted to Web site.
VII. Research
Goal:
Attract and fund quality clinical and EMS workforce research projects.
Strategy:
Increase NAEMT funding for EMS clinical and workforce research projects. Market research grants widely.
Action Items:
1. Seek Board approval to increase funding.
2. Widely market grants to possible researchers.
3. Utilize knowledge gained from workforce research to guide workforce initiatives.
4. Explore collaborative opportunities with other organizations to mine existing data.
VIII. Member Benefits/Involvement
Goal:
Improve tangible member benefits for NAEMT members. Increase membership and member involvement.
Strategy:
Learn more about what members value and want, and seek to provide discounted or free access to industry information resources and educational opportunities. Seek sponsorship that provides product discounts or free products to members. Provide career resources to members via NAEMT Web site.
Members will be surveyed to seek input on their needs, “hot issues” and expectations from the association. NAEMT will strive to create at least one activity each year for member-wide participation, such as Scope of Practice survey or letter campaign to Congress.
Action Items:
1. Reorganize the Membership Committee and include non-leadership members in the committee.
2. Have Membership Committee perform an analysis (including member survey in this analysis) of current membership strategy and create a detailed membership business plan.
3. Committee will make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding need for change.
IX. Division and Committee Functionality and Activity
Goal:
Ensure appropriate and efficient operation and representation of the NAEMT special interest Divisions and Committees.
Strategic Vision:
Assist Division and Committee chairs in assessing the current activity and effectiveness.
Assist Divisions with becoming more efficient and effective. Identify Divisions that appear to be inactive. Increase involvement of Division chairs with conference calls and mid-year Board of Directors meeting.
Action Items:
1. Each Division/Committee to submit yearly plan/goals to the Board of Directors within 30 days after the NAEMT Annual Meeting.
2. A Board member will be appointed to each Division/Committee to facilitate the process of creating a report to the Board of Directors by April 30, 2007, on the following:
a. An assessment of current Division/Committee structure/function/dues
b. Recommendations regarding potential for restructure/reorganization with the goal of creating greater organizational efficiencies, effectiveness and functionality.
3. Expectations that Division/Committee chairs attend monthly Board of Directors conference calls.
4. Expectation that Division/Committee chairs communicate quarterly (at a minimum) to their membership through an appropriate medium.