Massachusetts Ambulance Association News

MAA Announces Partnership with Rebuilding Recovery Center to Support EMS Workforce Wellness

Kevin Turner — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:03:55 GMT

Our EMS professionals show up on the hardest days of other people’s lives. They also carry what they see, hear, and absorb, often long after the call is over. Recognizing the need to provide EMTs, paramedics, and dispatchers with professional avenues of support, the Massachusetts Ambulance Association (MAA) is proud to announce a new partnership with Rebuilding Recovery Center, expanding access to specialized, confidential services designed specifically for the first responder community.

Kyle Craig, Program Director, Clinician, and Founder, developed Rebuilding’s First Responders program in close consultation with experienced peer support and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) leaders. He began by listening, then built a model that addresses real-world barriers to care, including concerns about confidentiality, workplace stigma, and professional repercussions. Through this partnership, MAA members will have a clear pathway to connect EMS professionals with a program focused on recovery.

Programs like Rebuilding’s are designed to address the factors that contribute to burnout and support long-term workforce stability. According to the most recent AAA Employee Turnover Study, 76% of EMS professionals reported burnout as a critical issue, with one in four ranking it as their single most pressing concern. That burnout is reflected in workforce challenges across the field, including an annual turnover rate of 20–30% among EMTs and paramedics.

Rebuilding’s program is built intentionally around the needs of those who serve. Providing support for issues related to addiction and trauma, the program is structured to protect confidentiality, foster trust, and create an environment where participants can speak openly with peers who understand the work. The space is separate and discreet, and the team is largely composed of first responders and veterans, creating a level of relatability that many participants describe as essential to engagement, progress, and lasting recovery.

MAA Partners with NPPGov

Kevin Turner — Fri, 02 May 2025 14:01:09 GMT

MAA press release: NPPGov

Contact Information:

Kevin Turner

Executive Director

MAA

774.300.0820

kturner@massambulance.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAA Partners with NPPGov

Boston, MA – MAA is proud to announce a direct partnership with NPPGov. NPPGov is a leader in Public Safety cooperative purchasing, including emergency medical services.

Massachusetts Ambulance Association Executive Director Kevin Turner has been working with Mika Kawakami, Association Manager for NPPGov, to provide competitive cooperative options to MAA members.

NPPGov currently offers over 100 publicly procured agreements for products and services, along with a discount program for individual members from over 20 vendors, including AT&T FirstNet, Medline, McKesson, Zoll and more. NPPGov owns all their own agreements with most being publicly solicited and awarded by a Lead Public Agency.

“The Massachusetts Ambulance Association is excited to partner directly with NPPGov to offer our members departmental and individual discounts which will save them time and money on products they use every day,” said MAA Executive Director Kevin Turner. “We feel a direct relationship with NPPGov is in the best interest of our members and the Ambulance and EMS industry.”

“MAA was formed in the 1990’s and serves as the private Ambulance Services Association for the State of Massachusetts. MAA membership represents more than 35 Private Ambulance Services organizations. The association consists of 5 executive board members who act as the voice for Private Ambulance Providers for Emergent, non-Emergent ambulance and Chair Van transportation for both in-state and national issues. The executive board members are tasked with understanding and managing key issues for emergency and non emergency medical services throughout the state.”

“We see a real need to offer organizations, like the Massachusetts Ambulance Association, the opportunity to secure national contracted pricing based on the buying power of our 45,000 member organizations,” said Bill DeMars, Executive Director of NPPGov.

Furthermore, NPPGov offers a robust revenue sharing program for qualifying partner organizations. Through the NPPGov share back program, association partners can earn a quarterly revenue share based on what their members spend.

MAA Retains PR Firm CTP Boston

Kevin Turner — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 13:36:45 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association (MAA) has named CTP Boston as its new public relations agency of record. This new, strategic collaboration combines the MAA's rich understanding and advocacy of medical transportation and EMS services with the creative and messaging expertise of this world class agency.

"This new partnership will allow the MAA to cut through the noise and advocate for better medical transportation across the Commonwealth" said Dennis Cataldo MAA President.

The MAA is confident that CTP's expertise will guide the organization toward continued growth and success in advocating for the highest quality pre-hospital care.

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MAA Executive Director Announcement

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 09:30:13 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association (MAA) is excited to announce that Kevin Turner has been appointed as its new Executive Director, effective September 30, 2024. Kevin brings over a decade of leadership experience in operations, supply chain management, and EMS services, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer at Cataldo Ambulance Service, where he spearheaded operational planning and drove significant cost savings while expanding services.

With a strong background in strategic planning, contract negotiation, and team leadership, Kevin has demonstrated a commitment to advancing healthcare and emergency services in Massachusetts. The MAA is confident that Kevin’s expertise and passion for EMS will guide the organization toward continued growth and success in advocating for the highest quality pre-hospital care.

We look forward to Kevin’s leadership as he works closely with members, legislators, and industry stakeholders to strengthen the EMS profession across the Commonwealth. Please join us in welcoming Kevin to the MAA!

Updated: MAA Seeks Executive Director!

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:41:40 GMT

Following successful growth, the Massachusetts Ambulance Association seeks an executive director to take the association to the next level. The estimated start date for this position is September 2024.

Massachusetts Ambulance Association

Executive Director

Position Description | Updated July 8, 2024

Interested candidates, please send a resume and cover letter to maa@ambulance.org.

Position Summary

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association (MAA) board seeks a highly skilled leader to serve as the organization’s chief executive. The Executive Director is responsible for the organization's consistent achievement of its mission and financial objectives.

The successful Executive Director will effectively promote the MAA and its public policy initiatives while engaging EMS providers and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Manage the annual membership renewal process.
Drive sustained membership growth through marketing and communications to ambulance services and EMS vendors.
Facilitate annual Association strategic planning to set short- and long-term goals. In collaboration with board leaders, sustain progress toward these objectives.
Manage contracts with the Association’s vendors and contractors, including but not limited to attorneys, accountants, insurance brokers, and lobbyists.
Maintain official records and documents, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in federal and state emergency medical services (EMS) policy, reimbursement, patient care, licensure, and regulation. Support advocacy efforts driven by the board and lobbyists.
Engage members, legislators, regulators, and other partners to advance advocacy for the EMS profession.
Ensure compliance with MAA by-laws and governance.
Communicate routinely and effectively with members and board leaders. Publicize the activities of the organization, its programs and goals as appropriate.
Grow and manage social media channels.
Develop agendas and take minutes for all board, membership, and committee meetings. Manage the Association content calendar.
Lead the annual budgeting process and develop monthly financials for board review.
Identify, engage, and support outside CPA firm for an annual audit.
Ensure that adequate funds are available to allow the MAA to carry out its work.
Draft official correspondence of the organization and execute legal documents.
Plan and execute MAA education and events at the direction of the board.
Represent MAA members at local, state, regional, and national meetings and conventions as directed by the board.
Collaborate with the board and committee chairs on industry educational events for MAA members.

Qualifications & Experience

A minimum of ten years of professional experience.
Excellent writing and communication skills.
Extensive knowledge of healthcare regulations and public policy in Massachusetts.
Strong technology skills including Microsoft Office, social media platforms, and website content management systems.
Experience in association management, event planning, and/or nonprofit management are a significant plus.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Salary Range

Commensurate with experience and qualifications. The estimated range is $125,000–150,000.

About the Massachusetts Ambulance Association

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association is the trade association for private ambulance services throughout the Commonwealth. Our association members employ over 6,000 employees and operate 80% of all licensed ambulances within our state. Together our members advocate for the policy supporting the highest quality pre-hospital care. www.massambulance.org

MAA Honors Ambulance Providers with Convoy of Champions Parade During EMS Week

Tue, 07 May 2024 16:41:44 GMT

For Immediate Release

May 13, 2024

Contact	Amanda Riordan
Telephone	703-615-4492
Email	maa@ambulance.org
Website	www.massambulance.org

Massachusetts Ambulance Association Honors Ambulance Providers with Convoy of Champions Parade During EMS Week

Bedford, MA—The Massachusetts Ambulance Association (MAA) will celebrate the exceptional dedication of the Commonwealth’s emergency medical services (EMS) professionals during the 50^th Annual National EMS Week. On May 23, the MAA will host the fifth annual Convoy of Champions ambulance parade to recognize the extraordinary contributions of emergency medical services (EMS) in our communities.

A parade of ambulances (“Convoy of Champions”) will depart UMass Medical Science Park in Worcester at 11:00 am ET on Thursday, May 23, with an expected arrival at Boston MedFlight in Bedford at 11:45am. Participating ambulance providers hail from across Massachusetts and will be escorted on the highway by the Massachusetts State Police. UMass Memorial LifeFlight and Boston MedFlight air ambulances will also fly over the parade route.

At this year’s event, mobile healthcare services will be honored with awards recognizing their collective service to the 6.9 million residents of the Commonwealth. The program recognizes the dedication of these heroes while shining light on the critical role EMS plays in our health care infrastructure. As healthcare evolves, so had EMS with the advent of mobile integrated healthcare, community paramedicine and partnerships with key entities in breaking down the brick and mortar barriers to provide care where the patient needs it most.

Speakers include Representative John J. Mahoney of the Massachusetts State Legislature’s 13^th District, Dr. Todd Ellerin of South Shore Health, MAA President Dennis Cataldo, and Boston MedFlight CEO Maura Hughes.

Timeline of Events for Thursday, May 23

10:00 Ambulances assemble at UMass Memorial
11:00 Convoy leaves Worcester
11:45 Convoy arrives at Boston MedFlight in Hanscom
12:00 Lunch buffet opens
12:15 Program begins (Speakers: Representative John J. Mahoney, Dr. Todd Ellerin, Dennis Cataldo, Maura Hughes; Awards; Group Picture)
14:00 Program concludes, ambulances depart

Media are invited to join the Convoy in Worcester and/or at the Boston MedFlight Hangar at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford. Interviews are available with Massachusetts Ambulance Association leaders.

###

About the Massachusetts Ambulance Association

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association’s membership is composed of more than 30 ambulance service providers from across the Commonwealth. MAA’s 6,000 employees provide 75% of the emergency medical services transports in Massachusetts. Together, MAA members advocate for high-quality, sustainable mobile healthcare.

About EMS Week (May 19–25, 2024)

During the 50th Annual National EMS Week, communities will honor frontline heroes who provide emergency medical care that saves and sustains so many lives every day. The 2024 EMS Week theme is "Honoring Our Past. Forging Our Future."

Congratulations to the 2022 Massachusetts Stars of Life!

Wed, 18 May 2022 02:16:08 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association board honors the 2022 Massachusetts Stars of Life!

Glen Biddiscombe, Lead EMT, Boston MedFlight

Daniel Brown, Advanced EMT, Brewster Ambulance Service

Jose Caballero Ortega, District Commander/Paramedic, Transformative Healthcare

Kathy Carroll, Communication Supervisor & EMT, Cataldo Ambulance Service

Peter Chirigotis, BLS Field Supervisor/Hospital Liaison, Transformative Health Care

Samantha Clark, EMT, Northern Berkshire EMS

Timothy Coleman, Paramedic, Patriot Ambulance

Linda Devereaux, Community Paramedic, Cataldo Ambulance Service

Nick Henderson, Senior Clinical Manager, Armstrong Ambulance Service

Julie Inzerillo, Community Paramedic, Worcester EMS

Greg Johnson, Paramedic, National Ambulance Service

Delaney Kenny, EMT & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service

Samantha Kuenzler, Paramedic, Trinity EMS a Division of PRIDESTAR

Thomas Mackey, EMT, Patriot Ambulance

Greg McAllister, EMT & Field Training Officer, Brewster Ambulance Service

Dennis Perkins, Paramedic & Field Supervisor, Brewster Ambulance Service

Kevin Pywell, EMT, Boston EMS

Brian Rettger, Paramedic, Worcester EMS

Harold Reynolds, Paramedic & Field Supervisor, Brewster Ambulance Service

Scot Spring, Advanced EMT, Northern Berkshire EMS

Aleksey Taganov, Paramedic, National Ambulance Service

Bobby Thorne, Paramedic, Trinity EMS a Division of PRIDESTAR

Michael Walker, EMT, Boston EMS

MAA Seeks Executive Director!

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 16:28:29 GMT

Massachusetts Ambulance Association

Executive Director

Position Description | Updated March 4, 2022

Interested candidates, please send a resume and cover letter to maa@ambulance.org.

Position Summary

The successful Executive Director will effectively promote the MAA and its public policy initiatives while engaging EMS providers and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Manage the annual membership renewal process.
Drive sustained membership growth through marketing and communications to ambulance services and EMS vendors.
Facilitate annual Association strategic planning to set short and long term goals. In collaboration with board leaders, sustain progress toward these objectives.
Manage contracts with the Association’s vendors and contractors, including but not limited to attorneys, accountants, insurance brokers, and lobbyists.
Maintain official records and documents, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in federal and state emergency medical services (EMS) policy, reimbursement, patient care, licensure, and regulation. Support advocacy efforts driven by the board and lobbyists.
Engage members, legislators, regulators, and other partners to advance advocacy for the EMS profession.
Ensure compliance with MAA by-laws and adopted governance structure.
Communicate routinely and effectively with members and board leaders. Publicize the activities of the organization, its programs and goals as appropriate.
Grow and manage social media channels.
Develop agendas and take minutes for all board, membership, and committee meetings. Manage the Association content calendar.
Lead the annual budgeting process and develop monthly financials for board review.
Identify, engage, and support outside CPA firm for an annual audit.
Ensure that adequate funds are available to allow the MAA to carry out its work.
Draft official correspondence of the organization and execute legal documents.
Plan and execute MAA education and events at the direction of the board.
Represent MAA members at local, state, regional, and national meetings and conventions as directed by the board.
Collaborate with the board and committee chairs on industry educational events for MAA members.

Qualifications & Experience

Excellent writing and communication skills.
Extensive knowledge of healthcare regulations and public policy in Massachusetts.
Strong technology skills including Microsoft Office, social media platforms, and website content management systems.
Experience association management, event planning, and/or nonprofit management are a significant plus.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

Salary Range

Commensurate with experience and qualifications.

About the Massachusetts Ambulance Association

Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) Launches HandholdMA for Children's Mental Health

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 15:33:13 GMT

Worried about your child’s mental health? Not sure where to start or who can help? Visit www.HandholdMA.org, a new family-friendly website with mental health tips, tools, and resources created especially for parents

#HandholdMA

The mental health resources on #HandholdMA's website are available for kids of all ages in multiple languages, including Portuguese, Creole, Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Visit www.handholdma.org and navigate to the bottom right to select your language.

2021 MA Star of Life: Robert Tetreault, Transformative Health Care

Mon, 17 May 2021 20:40:49 GMT

Robert "Bob" Tetreault
EMT
Lifeline Ambulance Service
Transformative Health Care

Bob has worked at Lifeline Ambulance Service for five dedicated years. Bob is a champion of the virtues of hard work and dedication. He has never been late to a shift and is always ready, willing, and able to help a community member in need. Embarking on a long trip with a sick patient isn’t easy, but service is what we are all about.

Bob is the first person we call when a long job gets called in and to date has not rejected one of them. In EMS having a set partner, truck, or base assignment is something we strive for because it allows for some sense of normalcy in one of the most demanding professions. Bob is a true team player who remains fluid and flexible in any given situation the system sends his way. His patience does not go unnoticed, and his benevolence never goes unnoticed. Bob’s virtues and professionalism inspire all of us.

PRESS RELEASE: 2021 Convoy of Champions & Mass Stars of Life

Mon, 17 May 2021 20:38:49 GMT

For Immediate Release

May 12, 2021 (Updated May 17)

Contact		Amanda Riordan
Telephone		703-615-4492
Email		maa@ambulance.org
Website		www.massambulance.org

Massachusetts Ambulance Association Honors EMS Providers with Convoy of Champions Parade, Stars of Life Awards During EMS Week

Bedford, MA—The Massachusetts Ambulance Association will celebrate the exceptional dedication of the Commonwealth’s emergency medical services (EMS) professionals during the 46^th Annual National EMS Week. On May 18, the MAA will host the second annual Convoy of Champions ambulance parade as well as the first-ever Massachusetts Stars of Life awards ceremony to recognize specific field providers for their personal contributions to their communities.

Second Annual Convoy of Champions Parade

A parade of ambulances (“Convoy of Champions”) will depart UMass Medical Science Park in Worcester at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, May 18, with an expected arrival at Boston MedFlight in Bedford at 1:00pm. Participating ambulance providers hail from across Massachusetts and will be escorted on the highway by the Massachusetts State Police. A UMass Memorial LifeFlight air ambulance will also fly over the parade route.

Inaugural Massachusetts Stars of Life Award Ceremony

At this year’s inaugural Massachusetts Ambulance Association Stars of Life event, exemplary mobile healthcare professionals will be honored with medallions in recognition of their service. The Massachusetts Stars of Life program showcases the contributions of ambulance professionals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to their communities or the EMS profession in our state. The program recognizes the dedication of these heroes while shining light on the critical role EMS plays in our health care infrastructure, especially in the face of the crucial role that mobile healthcare has provided in COVID-19 testing and vaccination.

Speakers include MAA President Dennis Cataldo, Boston MedFlight CEO Maura Hughes, and 2021 Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians (MACEP) ER Physician of the Year Dr. Paul Biddinger of Mass General Brigham Hospital. US Senator Edward Markey and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito will appear via video as well to congratulate the honorees. The 2021 Massachusetts Stars of Life are:

Timeline of Events for May 18

11:30 - Ambulances driven by Stars of Life arrive at UMass Medical Science Park (381 Plantation Street, Worcester) for line-up and boxed lunch.
12:00 - Convoy of Champions leaves Worcester for Boston MedFlight
13:00 - Convoy of Champions arrives at Boston MedFlight hangar (150 Hanscom Dr, Bedford, MA 01730)
13:10 - Massachusetts Stars of Life Medallion and Pin Ceremony at the Boston MedFlight Hangar
14:30 – Adjournment

Media are invited to join the Convoy in Worcester and/or at the Boston MedFlight Hangar in Bedford. Interviews are available with Massachusetts Ambulance Association leaders as well as the Star of Life heroes.

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About the Massachusetts Ambulance Association

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association’s membership is composed of more than 30 ambulance service providers from across the Commonwealth. MAA’s 6,000 employees provide 70% of the emergency medical services transports in Massachusetts. Together, MAA members advocate for high-quality, sustainable mobile healthcare.

About EMS Week (May 16–22, 2021)

During the 46^th Annual National EMS Week, communities will honor frontline heroes who provide emergency medical care that saves and sustains so many lives every day. The 2021 EMS Week theme is "THIS IS EMS: Caring for Our Communities."

2021 MA Star of Life: Kevin Robischeau, Transformative Healthcare

Mon, 17 May 2021 00:17:38 GMT

Kevin Robischeau
Paramedic
Transformative Healthcare

Kevin has been with our team for almost 34 years. He has displayed such dedication, and is one of our hardest workers. Kevin is always willing to pick up extra shifts and help the team however he can.

2021 MA Star of Life: John (Yanni) Smiliotopoulos, Transformative Healthcare

Mon, 17 May 2021 00:16:24 GMT

John (Yanni) Smiliotopoulos
Field Training Officer
Fallon Ambulance
Transformative Healthcare

Yanni has 8 years of experience in EMS. He has worked at Fallon for 6 years! He is a great role model for new team members and it a very valuable Field Training Officer. Previously, Yanni was a small business owner for 16 years. He also works as Head of Security at a local restaurant in Cambridge. His hobbies include cooking and drumming!

2021 MA Star of Life: MacKenzie Mills, Boston EMS

Tue, 11 May 2021 22:10:14 GMT

MacKenzie Mills
EMT
Boston EMS

On Sunday March 14th, while working in Ambulance 22, Boston EMS EMT Mackenzie Mills and her partner, EMT Cassandra Cohen, came upon a 3-story building in Dorchester with fire showing on the top floor. After alerting Dispatch Operations of the fire, prompting a Fire Department response, they entered the building. Without regard for their own safety, they heroically went floor to floor, ensuring all occupants safely evacuated the building. EMT Mills and EMT Cohen reflect the highest standards of EMS professionals.

2021 MA Star of Life: Cassandra Cohen, Boston EMS

Tue, 11 May 2021 22:08:31 GMT

Cassandra Cohen
EMT
Boston EMS

On Sunday March 14th, while working in Ambulance 22, Boston EMS EMT Cassandra Cohen and her partner, EMT Mackenzie Mills, came upon a 3-story building in Dorchester with fire showing on the top floor. After alerting Dispatch Operations of the fire, prompting a Fire Department response, they entered the building. Without regard for their own safety, they heroically went floor to floor, ensuring all occupants safely evacuated the building. EMT Cohen and EMT Mills reflect the highest standards of EMS professionals.

2021 MA Star of Life: Shannon Regan, County Ambulance

Tue, 11 May 2021 17:53:29 GMT

Shannon Regan
Paramedic & Field Training Officer
County Ambulance

Shannon began her career at County Ambulance Service in 2009 as a Basic EMT. Shannon received her Paramedic certification in 2012 and is constantly working to increase her knowledge and competency. She has attained her certification as an ACLS instructor and tactical combat casualty care. Shannon has become on of County's lead ALS field training officers.

Shannon is tenacious in her review and knowledge of the statewide treatment protocols and company policies. She is known for clinical excellence and ability to keep teamwork at the forefront when dealing with complicated calls. She also has an excellent rapport with her orientees always providing real time evaluations and feedback. She is not afraid to share her vast knowledge of emergency care at the street level as well as the hospital setting always striving to make the system better.

When not at work this happy go lucky professional can be found hiking the many trails in the Berkshires or at the beach with her son (Noah), if this wasn't enough Shannon is affectionately known as the chicken queen raising them in her off time.

County Ambulance is proud of the impact Shannon makes and call her a Star of Life!

2021 MA Star of Life: Chris Farley, Boston Medflight

Tue, 11 May 2021 14:24:30 GMT

Chris Farley
Critical Care Transport EMT
Boston Medflight

Boston MedFlight was fortunate to hire Chris in February 2020. Although he had worked in EMS in the Merrimack Valley since 2011, he clearly explained to us that he wanted to assure he had the experience and knowledge necessary before moving into critical care transport with Boston MedFlight. Chris was a standout EMT providing BLS 911 emergency services to Lawrence General Hospital prior to BMF and he has continued that performance ever since.

Almost immediately after Chris completed training and orientation with Boston MedFlight, we were confronted with the COVID pandemic onslaught. Chris helped develop our COVID protection and decontamination protocols and assured all our crews were adequately trained. Not a showy guy, Chris is the quiet professional who can always be counted on to ensure quality patient care. He maintains a spotless safe driving record, cleans the trucks without anyone asking, inspects his vehicle thoroughly, writes up discrepancies and does all the daily work expected of an EMT professional. It is the things he does beyond the job description that make him a Star. He motivates his crew when the shift gets long; he assists the nurse and paramedics with restocking and decontaminating the vehicles; he provides bedside care and support for our patients, and their family members; and readily offers his time to cover open shifts or reposition vehicles for maintenance.

Few would know it, but Chris began his working life as a professional baseball player. Pitching in the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals organizations, Chris spend nearly ten years in the minor leagues before an injury led him to a second career in healthcare. And he chose his second career wisely. His friendly, unassuming demeanor exudes caring confidence that makes him popular with our patients, families and crews.

Chris is the whole package: a talented healthcare provider, a dedicated employee, a caring individual, and a friend to his coworkers. He is truly deserving of the Star of Life award and recognition.

2021 MA Star of Life: Fred Jeffries, Boston Medflight

Tue, 11 May 2021 14:22:36 GMT

Fred Jeffries
Critical Care Transport Paramedic
Boston Medflight

Fred Jeffries, EMT-P, came to Boston MedFlight in January 2011 as an experienced flight paramedic. Fred had spent years learning and perfecting his critical care transport skills working for helicopter air ambulance providers in Northern California.

Fred immediately adapted to his new environment and the wide scope of critical care Boston MedFlight provides to our region. After only a few years on the line as a shift paramedic, Fred volunteered to become a preceptor and eventually clinical educator for Boston MedFlight. As an educator, Fred has the tremendous responsibility to educate and orient new clinical staff. He often takes new hires from general nursing or trauma care nursing experience to critical care expertise. Additionally, through his personal interest in safety, he has taken on the role as our crew resource management trainer, understanding and teaching that essential communication link between the aviation and clinical professionals.

Many people see problem areas, but Fred is the person who sees the problem and takes action! Fred recognized a lack of familiarization and safety training for clinical staff flying in our turboprop airplane. This lack of familiarization caused a hesitance for crews to transport patients in this vehicle. Tackling the problem head on, Fred developed a training syllabus that addressed many areas of concern, taught safety procedures and included hands-on simulation, inflight to gain acceptance by the crews. His training program has been a model for our other vehicle indoctrination program.

Fred Jeffries is a talented clinician and educator, a caring healthcare professional and truly deserving of the Star of Life award and recognition.

2021 MA Star of Life: Erica Bulshey, County Ambulance

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:31:53 GMT

Erica Bulshey
Advanced EMT
County Ambulance

Erica joined County Ambulance Service as a Basic EMT in 2008 after serving as a volunteer first responder with the Florida Fire Department beginning 2001. She became an Advanced EMT in 2011 and is currently studying to obtain her paramedic certification.

Erica has always been known for her willingness to help under any circumstances but has really made her mark during the pandemic. She was one of the original members of the County Ambulance COVID response team. Erica has taken a lead role on the team helping coordinate the many testing operations and most recently assisting with our vaccination site efforts.

When not at work caring for those in need or one of our many testing/vaccinations sites Erica enjoys her greatest hobby - being a "fur" mom to her three dogs (Jax, Sadie and Luna)!

We at County Ambulance are proud to call Erica a star!

2021 MA Star of Life: Stacy Caterina, Cataldo Ambulance

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:28:05 GMT

Stacy Caterina
MIH Paramedic
Cataldo Ambulance

Like many in EMS, Stacy got her start after a traumatic incident. Her father,a State Police officer, was killed in a motorcycle accident. It was a Lynn Fire Rescue paramedic that suggested EMS as a career option for her. Starting as an EMT with Cataldo eleven years ago, changed her life. The recipient of a paramedic scholarship, Stacy has become a seasoned clinician who now supports other paramedics and has recently gone on to become a MIH paramedic, furthering her dedication to caring for those in need.

When she’s not in uniform as a paramedic, Stacy Caterina still uses her time to support others. One place you might find her is training local fire departments on the use of autism-friendly techniques. Raised in Lynn and living in Peabody, she has always been focused on supporting her community. In part due to her efforts, local fire rescue teams now integrate these new skills in support of the autism community. She has also raised thousands of dollars to support impoverished families in Lynn, and regularly rallies fellow EMS colleagues to support shelters, DCF and Head Start programs.

The parent of an autistic child, a full time mom raising four children and juggling a busy schedule, Stacy always has time to share her energy and enthusiasm for her patients and her community. She has had significant challenges to face, and through each she has found a way to create something of value, enriching other people’s lives in the process.

2021 MA Star of Life: Chris Bargmann, Northern Berkshire EMS

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:24:31 GMT

Chris Bargmann
Paramedic
Northern Berkshire EMS

After many years in another industry Chris Bargmann wanted a career where he could serve people in a more caring and compassionate role. Receiving his EMT certificate in Minnesota in 2013 he then relocated to Western Massachusetts where he worked for Action Ambulance (2016-current) primarily out of the Hadley Fire Department location. He took a short break to recover from open heart surgery then decided he wanted to do more in his EMS role. He continued to work full time at Action while going to school to receive his Paramedic License. With that in hand was offered an opportunity to work at the esteemed Northampton Fire Department (2020) as a Fire/Medic while still helping at Action Ambulance when needed.

He was honored to be working with Northampton Fire but was offered a position with the non-profit organization Northern Berkshire EMS (2020-Current) in North Adams where he could continue his career of caring directly for patients as a medic. The family feel of NBEMS was a much better fit him and he remains there today caring for the people of North Adams Massachusetts.

Chris is one of the most caring providers around. he is a true representation of what it means to be a Paramedic/healthcare provider. His willingness to learn, hardworking mentality and his integrity help to inspire others around her. Many seek Chris out as a mentor due to his easy going and calm demeanor. Nobody is ever a bother and Chris is very easy to speak with. When he is not cleaning the station or washing his truck, Chris has been found helping others study for exams both in EMS and Nursing. It is with that; we are honored to submit Paramedic Chris Bargmann for the Star of Life award.

2021 MA Star of Life: Antonio Velazquez, Patriot Ambulance

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:21:37 GMT

Antonio Velazquez
EMT
Patriot Ambulance

Antonio "Tony" Velazquez began his career at Patriot back in November 2009. He took after his Father who spent 30 years working as an EMT. Tony excels at providing compassionate care and comfort to all of his patients, often putting a smile on their faces with his humor. He is a great mentor to new and seasoned employees. He is also an amazing Grandfather to his 4-month-old grandson. We are proud that he is a part of the Patriot family!

2021 MA Star of Life: Camron Kennedy

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:19:13 GMT

Camron Kennedy
Paramedic
Patriot Ambulance

Camron Kennedy came to Patriot Ambulance in January of 2020 after spending 2-1/2 years in Louisiana as a critical care Paramedic. His knowledge and experience came right along with him - making him a great mentor to his co-workers. Camron's positive attitude and willingness to help others is truly inspiring. His patient care is second to none. We are proud that he is a part of the Patriot family!

2021 MA Star of Life: Mark Davenport, Spaulding

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:16:42 GMT

Mark Davenport

EMT
Spaulding Rehab Hospital Ambulance

Mark Davenport has been with Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Ambulance Service since 2016. He brings an energy and drive with him every day that is unmatched. Mark is continually looking for opportunities to improve himself and his knowledge, his clinical skills and his ability to provide outstanding patient care. It was his energy and drive to succeed that made him a natural choice to help the department in our COVID-19 response. As the network was preparing to begin receiving COVID patients that were in need of post-acute care, the department needed to develop policies and practices that kept provider safety at the forefront without compromising the ability to care for patients. Mark helped to develop all our safety protocols and train all department staff. During the COVID pandemic, Mark served as our Safety Officer and made it his personal goal to keep our staff safe. The safety program that Mark developed went far beyond the written procedures and created an environment where the EMTs and Paramedics that were transporting COVID patients felt safe and secure that their safety was of the utmost priority. In the early days of the pandemic response, Mark's efforts and work in developing and implementing our safety program, helped reduce provider stress and anxiety, allowing them to focus on patient care while knowing that he had their back and was watching out for them. We thank Mark for his dedication and commitment to keeping our crews safe and are proud to call Mark Davenport our 2021 Massachusetts Star of Life.

2021 MA Star of Life: Glen Timmons, Spaulding

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:09:45 GMT

Glen Timmons
Mobile Healthcare Paramedic
Spaulding Rehab Hospital Ambulance

Glen has been with Spaulding Hospital Ambulance Service since 2018. From the moment he joined the organization, Glen continually goes above and beyond to provide the highest levels of clinical care and professionalism. He is seen a leader and role model by his peers and is well respected across the network. Glen's decades of experience and drive to succeed made him the ideal clinician as the department began operating a mobile healthcare program as part of the COVID-19 response. Since our mobile healthcare program launched last spring, Glen has been the primary clinical provider for the program. His clinical knowledge, dedication, and passion and commitment to the program and the patients we serve continue to drive the program forward, advancing the care we are able to provide and has been the critical key to the success of our mobile healthcare program. Whether he is comforting a patient in need, helping out a staff member or advocating for what he believes in, Glen always gives it all he has. We are extremely grateful to have him as part of the team and are proud to call Glen Timmons our 2021 Massachusetts Star of Life.

2021 MA Star of Life: Todd Beaudet, Atlantic Ambulance

Fri, 07 May 2021 16:15:50 GMT

Todd Beaudet
EMT
Atlantic Ambulance

Todd has been in EMS for the past 26 years as an EMT serving the City of Lynn—a City that he is absolutely attached to. His ability to treat all patients with respect, no matter how disrespectful they may become is astonishing.

On April 3, 2020, Todd was rushed to the hospital by his co-workers for difficulty breathing. It turns out that Todd was COVID positive and that he contracted COVID through one of his patients a week earlier. Todd was on a ventilator for 42 days, and then in a Rehabilitation Hospital for another 46 days. Todd has not fully recovered from this illness and will not be able to work on the road in a position that he is absolutely committed to.

Did Todd give up? The answer to that question is no, he is not giving up. Todd is happy to be alive to be able to spend time with his family, and he will be returning to EMS in June as a full time Dispatcher. If you ask Todd, he is grateful for the opportunity to return into any role in EMS. This outlook on life, especially after what he has been through, is not a trait found in many individuals. Todd is truly one of the best EMS has ever experienced.

2021 MA Star of Life: George Beckwith, Northern Berkshire EMS

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:31:01 GMT

George Beckwith
EMT
Northern Berkshire EMS

George Beckwith started his career with Northern Berkshire EMS, formally known as North Adams Ambulance back in 1989. That’s right, George has been serving the residents of Northern Berkshire County for longer than most of our current employees have been alive.

George has been an EMT for the better part of 30 years, and while in EMS you can never say “you’ve seen it all”, George has most certainly experienced more excitement, loss, trials, and tribulations than your average bear. The war stories George has accumulated over the years are unmatched. You can always find him in the bay sharing a tale from back in the day when Paramedics didn’t exist and you had to improvise with what you had on the rig.

With those years of service comes knowledge, understanding and a sense of calmness even in the most chaotic scenes. George has been a constant on the overnight shifts here at NBEMS, a shift that requires all those attributes listed above and then some. Anyone who works overnights understands, it takes a different breed of person to work those hours. Over the years George has taken many a new partner, EMTs and Paramedics alike, and shown them the ropes. George has had a hand in molding many great providers within this agency.

In his off time, you can find George in a different uniform - standing behind home plate on a baseball diamond, or the 50 yard line of the football field. George has been an umpire for the local youth, high school and college sports teams for many a year. Sports are a passion of his and when the seasons are in full swing, George will be on the go from the moment he leaves work at 8am.

Dedication, reliability, humility and a willingness to learn are core values any EMS provider should possess. George embodies all of those traits and many more that he has acquired in his 30+ year career. It is because of these attributes, George’s peers nominated him for this year’s Star of Life recognition. Thank you George for your dedicated service to Northern Berkshire EMS, our employees and the community we serve.

2021 MA Star of Life: Kristen Hunter, Action Ambulance

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:29:12 GMT

Kristen Hunter
EMT
Action Ambulance

Kristen Hunter is an EMT Basic that joined Action Ambulance in 1995. She has served the Greater Boston community for over 26 years with exceptional patient care. Kristen is repeatedly nominated for recognition on a clinical basis as well as from peers for her willingness to help and teach.

The past year has taken a toll on all EMT’s, however even through a pandemic Kristen has found a way to shine. Her coworkers are always writing to leadership, recognizing her willingness to help fellow employees; stocking trucks, talking through calls, picking up shifts and just being there for fellow coworkers. Her patient care has also been exceptional, Kristen strives to continuously educate herself and treat patients with respect and compassion.

During her off-time Kristen enjoys spending time with her two labs; Liberty and Justice and takes pride in her two children who are now 19 & 21. On a sunny summer day, you may find Kristen in one of her favorite spots on the beach.

Action Ambulance is proud to call Kristen Hunter our 2021 Massachusetts Star of Life.

2021 MA Star of Life: Kevin LaPierre, Action Ambulance

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:27:31 GMT

Kevin LaPierre
Paramedic
Action Ambulance

Kevin LaPierre is a Paramedic and has been with Action Ambulance for over two years. He has had exceptional patient care in his time with us. His skills as a paramedic are passed down to his EMT coworkers as he works a paramedic/basic truck. Recently his skills were put to the test.

Split second thinking and leaning on the basics helped Kevin through a particularly tough call recently when a trailer came in contact with a bicyclist. The trainer ran over the patient, pinning them under and between the two sets of rear tires. When Kevin arrived on scene, all non-medical first responders believed the situation to be grave. Kevin went to work with the second to arrive ambulances paramedic starting and IV and attending to immediate medical needs. They called in a local, nearby forklift and were able to extricate the patient from the trailer. The patient was alert and talking on the way to the hospital despite the extensive injuries. Not only did Kevin show his skills that day, but he showed his dedication to doing everything he can for the patient.

Kevin is also a medic for the South Hadley MA fire department and enjoys spending time with his family.

Action Ambulance is proud to call Kevin LaPierre our 2021 Massachusetts Star of Life.

2021 MA Star of Life: Patrick Ring, Worcester EMS

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:25:51 GMT

Patrick Ring
Paramedic
Worcester EMS

Paramedic Ring has been a Worcester EMS paramedic for five years. During his time at WEMS, he has grown tremendously as a clinician and provider. He excels as a Field Training Officer and was recently selected to join the WEMS Tactical EMS group in support of the Massachusetts State Police. Paramedic Ring has been an EMS ambassador for our region while riding in the Fallen Angels Memorial Bike Ride. Most importantly, he is a dedicated and compassionate provider always seeking ways to hone his craft and improve his care. Paramedic Ring continues to make us proud every day and we are proud to have him as one of our 2021 Stars of Life.

2021 MA Star of Life: Ronald Gigliotti, Worcester EMS

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:24:19 GMT

Ronald Gigliotti
EMS Lieutenant
Worcester EMS

EMS Lt. Gigliotti is a decades-long EMS provider and a twenty-year veteran at Worcester EMS. His passion for patient care and caring for our providers is his outstanding attribute. He continually looks for ways to make things better for our patients and providers. He has been one of the driving forces on research around assaults on EMS providers and is a published author on EMS peer support and stress. Lt. Gigliotti is always there to lend a hand to help, a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. He exemplifies the role of an EMS mentor. He knows and writes the science without losing the hands-on touch of a caring provider. We are grateful for all that Lt. Gigliotti does for us and the patients we serve.

2021 MA Star of Life: Ross Griffin, Armstrong Ambulance

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:20:14 GMT

Ross Griffin
EMT & Field Training Officer
Armstrong Ambulance

EMT/Field Training Officer, Ross Griffin, has been working at Armstrong for over 5 years. Ross initially took an EMT course as part of his college curriculum for UMASS Lowell where he graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. Ross always knew he wanted to help people by interacting with them directly, and EMS was the perfect opportunity to gain experience with emergency responses.

As having a medical emergency or an ambulance transport is often a scary and confusing time for patients and family, Ross always provides a calm and competent environment to help put them at ease, provide stellar medical care and connect them with resources and help they need. Ross always explains every step along the way for treatments & transfers in order to help patients feel engaged and connected. Ross’ documentation is always detailed and complete as to promote good continuity of patient care as well as help with the billing process. When patients are settled at their destination, Ross always wishes them well and leaves them with encouragement to feel better or heal quickly. Ross always applies the “golden rule” when caring for his patients as if they were his own family members.

As Ross became a more senior EMT, he started noticing areas where he could assist new EMTs. Wanting to help educate and support his colleagues, Ross became a Field Training Officer where he helps train EMTS to provide the highest level of care and compassion while improving their clinical and operational skills. Their successes are Ross’ successes.

One of Ross’ colleagues said this about him: “I have worked with Ross for the past year. In that time, Ross has shown incredible commitment towards his duties as a FTO. His patience and attention to detail has prepared many EMTs for the road ahead. He always takes time to explain how to do every aspect of the job to new EMTs whether the call is a routine transfer or a trauma alert. I was especially impressed at how Ross went the extra mile during the pandemic in ensuring that all third riders were staying safe by teaching them proper techniques for donning and doffing PPE. Ross also took it upon himself to work at both COVID testing and vaccination sites. Ross’s commitment to the betterment of the next generation of EMS coupled with his skilled patient care is truly remarkable”.

Armstrong Ambulance is proud to name Ross as our 2021 Star of Life!

2021 MA Star of Life: Shaun Churchill, Armstrong Ambulance

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:16:41 GMT

Shaun Churchill
Paramedic & Base Supervisor
Armstrong Ambulance

Paramedic Shaun Churchill started his EMS career in 1991. Throughout the years, Shaun worked BLS in Lawrence before he became a medic in 1995. Once a medic, Shaun worked in the north shore area for several years prior to becoming a Field Supervisor and eventually a Director of Operations for an EMS system in that region. Shaun has been a paramedic with Armstrong since 2018, and through his field shifts and work as a Base Supervisor, makes incredible impacts in one of Armstrong’s busiest 911 systems.

One particular call which highlights Shaun’s incredible clinical skill and intense scene management happened on Thursday, August 6th, 2020. Shaun was working in Saugus, MA when he was dispatched to assist with the transport of a psychologically impaired male.

As the ambulance was staged away from the scene, the Police requested the presence of the fire department to assist with gaining entry to the residence. Immediately upon forced entry, firefighters and police officers were met with a hostile male wielding a large knife and acting erratically. As the three officers attempted to restrain the suspect with minimal use of force, they were stabbed by the male, causing potentially life- threatening injuries to all of them. Within minutes, the patient compartment of Saugus Ambulance 2 was transitioned into a mobile emergency room. Using his training and experience, Shaun was able to reassess, further treat, obtain vital signs and stabilize all three police officer victims until additional ambulances arrived. Furthermore, Shaun was able to adequately triage the victims and provide a brief report to assist ambulance staff prior to transport of the patients. Subsequently, all three stabbing victims were transported to Massachusetts General Hospital along with a fourth officer for an evaluation.

All of the officers involved eventually were discharged from Mass General Hospital with positive clinical outcomes. These outcomes can be directly connected to the high level of clinical ability, acute skill set and the utmost professionalism exhibited by Shaun. Shaun is the epitome of a dedicated Paramedic who constantly utilizes incredible skill and judgement to benefit so many within our community.

When not on duty, Shaun enjoys hiking, kayaking spending time with his kids, cooking and photography.

Armstrong Ambulance is proud to call Shaun Churchill our 2021 Star of Life!

2021 MA Star of Life: Lana Poirier, Trinity EMS

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:13:30 GMT

Lana Poirier
Paramedic
Trinity EMS

Lana Poirier started at Trinity EMS in September of 2019. She began her time with Trinity EMS as an advanced EMT and quickly obtained her paramedic license. Since then, she is always striving to better herself clinically and operationally whether it’s reviewing protocols with her peers or trying to learn more about the ICS system with the supervisors. Lana is also a strong employee advocate for Trinity always taking the time to encourage and teach new EMT’s and fellow new paramedics, treating her peers as family. Since joining Trinity, Lana has been an awesome addition to the Trinity Family and is top of the list when recruiting new EMT or Paramedics to come join our team.

One of her peers said, “Lana is a dedicated provider to every patient she encounters and we are lucky to have her!”.

Another said, “Lana provides excellent patient care and strives hard to be kind and better herself and fellow employees.”

2021 MA Star of Life: Shawn Hunter, Trinity EMS

Thu, 06 May 2021 17:08:01 GMT

Shawn Hunter, EMT-B
Education Manager
Trinity EMS

Shawn Hunter has been an EMT-B with Trinity EMS since 2016. Quickly moving up the ranks, Shawn became the Education Manager for Trinity in 2018. Shawn works tirelessly for Trinity, getting involved in all facets of the Operations and IT department. Shawn is the lead on many new projects within Trinity, including most recently, Trinity’s efforts in battling the COVID 19 pandemic. Shawn was the point person for all things COVID, making enormous sacrifices on keeping up with the ever changing (sometimes daily) regulations in EMS and informing the entire Trinity Family. Shawn followed up with all employees who had potential exposure as well as the contact tracing. He also leapt into the COVID 19 mobile testing sites and later the COVID 19 vaccination sites. Shawn continually goes above and beyond his day to day efforts to help all members of the Trinity family. One employee said, “Shawn has showed professionalism and displayed the highest quality of care to patients, employee and employee’s families during this pandemic”. Another said, “I’ve worked with Shawn for years and he is always looking for ways to improve the lives of those around him - whether work related or helping someone through a touch call they may have had.”

MassDOT Exit Renumbering Project

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 18:09:55 GMT

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is converting all exit numbers on freeways to a milepost-based numbering system, per Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requirement. Currently, interstates and freeways in Massachusetts utilize a sequential exit numbering method. MassDOT has committed to the implementation of mile-based with construction scheduled to begin late in the Summer of 2020. Download a flyer or read more at www.newmassexits.com.

Board election results

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 18:16:23 GMT

Thank you to all member organizations who voted in the MAA elections. Your new board is:

Dennis Cataldo
John Chemaly
Bill Mergendahl
Patrick S. Tyler

Board Nominations Open

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 21:46:53 GMT

Nominations are now open for the MAA Board of Directors. Nominations will be accepted until midnight on December 13, 2019.

Each company may make one nomination for a board member.

Voting will begin on December 14, 2019 and will end on December 31^st at 11:59 p.m.

ALL NOMINATIONS ARE TO BE EMAILED TO GENERAL COUNSEL AT ccifra@cgdllaw.com.

MA Paid Family Leave Update

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:52:51 GMT

The Massachusetts Department of Paid Family & Medical Leave has posted an announcement regarding the three month delay for the Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) employer contributions.

It was announced earlier this week that the Governor, the Senate President, and the Speaker of the House signed an agreement to delay the employer contributions that were supposed to start on July 1, 2019 until October 1, 2019.

In the announcement they confirmed that there is a corresponding three month delay for an employer’s requirement to provide each employee with a Paid Family Medical Leave Notice. Also, the announcement confirmed that the Department will increase the employer contribution rate from .63% to .75% of employee wages in order to ensure the delayed funding does not impact the ability to pay benefits starting next year.

The announcement also stated that the final regulations will be posted to their website by June 17, 2019.

Thank you to Scott Moore, Esq of Moore EMS Consulting for providing this update.

Follow Mass Ambulance Association on Twitter!

Tue, 14 May 2019 17:35:22 GMT

Get micro-updates from YOUR association on Twitter at @MassAmbulance!

Meet the 2019 Mass Stars of Life!

Wed, 08 May 2019 19:31:22 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association is proud to introduce the 2019 #StarsofLife from our home state. Meet these truly exceptional #mobilehealthcare providers from Cataldo Ambulance Service, Armstrong Ambulance Service *Official Page*, and Action Ambulance Service Inc. at https://ems.zone/19MAstars! #SupportEMS #NotJustaRide

Massachusetts Releases Paid Family and Medical Leave Employee Template Notices

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 12:19:48 GMT

The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has released template notices employers may use to fulfill the notice requirement to employees and 1099-MISC independent contractors under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA), G.L. c. 175M. Employers must provide a notice to their current workforce by May 31, 2019.

Rest in Peace, Robert Cataldo

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 19:17:40 GMT

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Robert Cataldo, President of Cataldo Ambulance Service. Robert was a leader for decades, and inspired thousands of mobile healthcare professionals. Our thoughts are with the Cataldo family and staff.

The post below will be updated to include funeral arrangements as they are announced.

Tobin Bridge-Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation Project Begins April 1

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 19:59:06 GMT

Beginning on April 1^st, 2019 MassDOT will begin a two-year rehabilitation project of the Tobin Bridge and Chelsea Viaduct which together carry Route 1 through Chelsea, over the Mystic River, and into Boston. This project, known as the Tobin Bridge/Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation will, ensure that the elevated portions of Route 1 which have not been significantly rehabilitated since the 1970’s can continue to safely and efficiently carry passenger and freight traffic in and out of Boston.

This vital project will have inevitable traffic impacts. To learn more and sign up to receive email updates regarding project progress, please see the attached fact sheet and visit:

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the project team: Tobin-Chelsea@dot.state.ma.us

Have an idea for an educational event?

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 15:37:50 GMT

Please contact maa@ambulance.org to share your thoughts. We are always looking for new topics.

New Mailing Address!

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 16:10:07 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association has a new mailing address. Would you please update your records?

MAA c/o AAA
1420 New York Ave
5th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Thank you for your continued support and participation!

Dennis Cataldo New Vice President of MAA

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:44:43 GMT

Today the Massachusetts Ambulance Association Board unanimously appointed Dennis Cataldo of Cataldo Ambulance to the vacant seat on the board of directors. He was subsequently elected by the board to the position of Vice President.

Congratulations, Dennis, and thank you for your service to the MAA!

Funeral of Sean T. Maney of Cataldo Ambulance Service

Tue, 21 Aug 2018 15:22:46 GMT

Our hearts are with the family, friends, and Cataldo Ambulance Servicecolleagues of Sean T. Maney. Sean, an EMT, field training officer, and 2018 American Ambulance Association #StarsofLife honoree, passed away in a boating accident on August 20. Rest in peace, brother.

Wake

Wake will be Sunday 8/26 from 3pm- 6pm at Conway, Cahill, Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn Street, Peabody, MA

Cataldo will be gathering in the parking lot of the funeral home at 2:30 and doing a walk-through for field staff at 3pm sharp.

Funeral

Funeral is on Monday at 10am at Our Lady of Assumption Church, 17 Grove Street, Lynnfield, MA

Happy Independence Day!

Tue, 03 Jul 2018 15:09:09 GMT

Happy 4th of July from the Mass Ambulance Association!

Meet the 2018 Massachusetts Stars of Life!

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 14:04:08 GMT

Massachusetts Ambulance Association member employees from LifeLine Ambulance Service, LLC, Cataldo Ambulance Service, and Armstrong Ambulance have been nominated for AAA's national Stars of LIfe. Meet the 2018 Mass Stars at http://ems.zone/18massstars!

Fallon Receives Major Investment from Transformative Healthcare, Tyler Appointed CEO

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 12:55:28 GMT

Big news for MAA member Fallon Ambulance, which recently received a large investment from Massachusetts-based Transformative Healthcare. Sean Tyler, MAA's Board Secretary, was also appointed as Transformative's CEO. Congratulations to the whole Fallon team!

Read the full press release on Business Wire►

New Bylaws Adopted

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 18:02:45 GMT

At the February 15 Annual Meeting, new MAA bylaws were adopted. Read the new bylaws.

New Mass Employer Obligations Starting April 1, 2018

Scott Moore — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 14:51:02 GMT

Massachusetts employers will have increased obligations for pregnant employees starting April 1, 2018. Governor Baker signed the Pregnant Worker Fairness Act (PWFA) which amended the anti-discrimination statute, M.G.L. Chapter 151B to expand the protections currently provided under Federal and state law. Under the new law, employers are prohibited from discriminating against candidates or employees on the basis of their pregnancy. Employers must provide employees with written notice of their right to be free from discrimination in the workplace on the basis of their pregnancy both at the time of hire and upon learning that an employee is pregnant.

Currently under Federal and state law, employers are prohibited from discrimination on the basis of an employee’s pregnancy. However, under existing law, employers are not specifically required to accommodate the needs of all pregnant workers. The new law expands protections for pregnant workers to require that employers provide the same reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers that they do for employees who are disabled. Currently, employers are only required to accommodate pregnant workers who develop a pregnancy related medical conditions sufficiently serious enough to qualify as a disability.

The new law requires that employers engage pregnant employees in a timely manner to begin a good faith interactive process to determine if a reasonable accommodation can be provided that would permit the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Examples of reasonable accommodations include, extended break times, more frequent food or drink breaks, lifting restrictions or assistance, providing a secure private location (not a restroom) for nursing employees to express breast milk. Employers are not obligated to provide pregnant employees with any requested accommodation, only those that do not pose an undue hardship upon the employer. An undue hardship is generally defined as any accommodations that involve great difficulty or expense for the employer.

To ensure that covered Massachusetts employers are in compliance by April 1, 2018, employers must provide a notice of rights to all existing employees by April 1, 2018. Going forward, all new employees must receive the notice upon hire and then again within ten days after the employer is informed of an employee’s pregnancy. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) has published employer Guidance for the Pregnant Worker Fairness Act to assist them with compliance. Additionally, employers need to amend their policies and procedures or employee handbooks to reflect the new requirements. The MCAD has not provided a sample notice for employers to use but interested members can contact the Association for an example of a PWFA rights notice.

NOTICE

PREGNANT WORKERS FAIRNESS ACT

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“the Act”) amends the current statute prohibiting discrimination in employment, G.L. c. 151B, §4, enforced by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). The Act, effective on April 1, 2018, expressly prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, such as lactation or the need to express breast milk for a nursing child. This notice is intended to describe an employers’ obligations to employees that are pregnant or lactating and the protections these employees are entitled to receive. Generally, employers may not treat employees or job applicants less favorably than other employees based on pregnancy or pregnancy- related conditions and have an obligation to accommodate pregnant workers.

Under the Act:

·       Upon request for an accommodation, an employer has an obligation to communicate with the employee in order to determine if a “reasonable accommodation” for the pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition. This is called an “interactive process,” and it must be done in good faith. A “reasonable accommodation” is a modification or adjustment that allows the employee or job applicant to perform the essential functions of the job while pregnant or experiencing a pregnancy-related condition, without undue hardship to the employer.

·       An employer must accommodate conditions related to pregnancy, including post-pregnancy conditions such as the need to express breast milk for a nursing child, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship on the employer. “Undue hardship” means that providing the accommodation would cause the employer significant difficulty or expense.

·       An employer cannot require a pregnant employee to accept an accommodation, or to begin disability or parental leave if another reasonable accommodation would enable the employee to perform the essential functions of the job without undue hardship to the employer.

·       An employer cannot refuse to hire a pregnant job applicant or applicant with a pregnancy-related condition, because of the pregnancy or the pregnancy-related condition, if an applicant is capable of performing the essential functions of the position with a reasonable accommodation.

·       An employer cannot deny an employment opportunity or take adverse action against an employee because of the employee’s request for or use of a reasonable accommodation for a pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition.

·       An employer cannot require medical documentation about the need for an accommodation if the accommodation requested is for: (i) more frequent restroom, food or water breaks; (ii) seating; (iii) limits on lifting no more than 20 pounds; and (iv) private, non-bathroom space for expressing breast milk. An employer, may, however, request medical documentation for other accommodations.

· Employers must also provide written notice of employees’ rights under the Act: (1) to new employees at or prior to the start of employment; and (2) to an employee who notifies the employer of a pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, no more than 10 days after such notification.

The foregoing is a synopsis of the requirements under the Act, and both employees and employers are encouraged to read the full text of the law available on the General Court’s website here:

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2017/Chapter54.

If you believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, you may file a formal complaint with the MCAD. You may also have the right to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if the conduct violates the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Both agencies require the formal complaint to be filed within 300 days of the discriminatory act.

Boston Headquarters: One Ashburton Place, Room 601, Boston, MA 02108 | (617) 994-6000

Springfield: 436 Dwight Street, Room 220, Springfield, MA 01103 | (413) 739-2145

Worcester: 484 Main Street, Room 320, Worcester, MA 01608 | (508) 453-9630

New Bedford: 128 Union Street, Suite 206 New Bedford, MA 02740 | (774) 510-5801

Scott Moore, Esq, is the principal consultant for EMS Resource Advisors, a full-service EMS consulting agency.

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION

Tue, 06 Feb 2018 20:45:26 GMT

To All General Members of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association:

Please be advised that on February 15, 2018 at 7:00 at the Cafe Escadrille located at 26 Cambridge St, Burlington, MA 01803 a special meeting will be held for the purpose of amending the bylaws of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association. The proposed bylaws are attached to this Notice.

You are welcome to share any concerns, feedback or comments at that time or prior thereto by emailing General Counsel, Christopher Cifra, at ccifra@cgdllaw.com.

2018 Operations Summit Photos

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 15:21:47 GMT

Thanks to Pro EMS for hosting the 2018 MAA Operations Summit, as well as Prodigy EMS and ER Maps for sponsoring! Check out photos on Facebook!

MAA Election Results Announced

Tue, 02 Jan 2018 13:01:06 GMT

Dear MAA Member:

First, I would like to wish everybody a happy and healthy new year! Second, I would like to thank the ten members who voted in this year’s elections. Lastly, I would like to congratulate the recently elected Board. The election results are as follows:

Board

John Chemaly, 10 votes
Peter Hoare, 10 votes
Bill Mergendahl, 10 votes
Sean Tyler, 10 votes
Ron Quaranto, 10 votes

Thank you,

Christopher Cifra, Esq.
Managing Partner
Cifra, Gibson & Dougan, LLP

Happy Holidays from MAA!

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 16:15:44 GMT

The Mass Ambulance Association wishes EMS providers and their families a safe and happy holiday season! Thank you for your service to our state.

December Membership Meeting Photos

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 20:53:03 GMT

There was a full house at today's MAA membership meeting at Pro EMS in Cambridge. Members from across the state joined the board to hear updates on advocacy progress, education, and more. Additionally, members heard from 9th District Congressional Candidate Peter Tedeschi, as well as new vendor member MNA Risk Management.

View photos on Facebook>

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 18:08:50 GMT

Thank you to Massachusetts ambulance services! Your selfless dedication is deeply appreciated.

2018 BFit First Responder Challenge

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 15:38:08 GMT

2nd Annual BFit First Responder Challenge
January 28, 2018 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
TD Garden

The 2nd Annual First Responder Challenge powered by National Grid will take place Sunday, January 28, 2018, at TD Garden. This one-of-a-kind event invites local first responders and fitness enthusiasts from all over New England to participate in a course throughout TD Garden and offers friends and families a day filled with activities and fun.

The event takes place to raise awareness around health and wellness and to support The 100 Club of Massachusetts, a charity that supports the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty.

Learn more on the Boston Bruins website!

HEALTH Act Update

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 21:22:21 GMT

The MAA Board of Directors have been hard at work on Beacon Hill working to correct the issues involving our industry as part of the HEALTH Act. Originally, this bill placed a cap rates that would have set non-participating provider rates at 160% of the prevailing Medicare amount. Quoting the Mass. Municipal Association (MMA) the impact on local EMS to be a reduction “…by as much as 50% if this rate-capping language becomes law.” The broad based impact that this measure would have had on our industry is devastating to every ambulance operator. We have been actively working in advance of the bill being released to contain its impact by participating as part of the MA Senate’s Special Committee on Healthcare Cost Containment Roundtable and meeting Senate leadership over the course of five months.

We are pleased to report that the redrafted Senate cost containment bill shows that EMS language has been struck from the bill. This is a significant achievement by all of us (MMA, PFFM, FCAM and MAA) collectively. Thank you to our partners for participating in all of the meetings to date and committing their respective organizations to fixing what would have been a disaster to EMS providers across the state. We still have more work to do in the Senate and House but it is a significant achievement to have the Senate on record not wanting to cut EMS funding. The Senate President’s office, Senate Ways and Means and Senate Health Care Finance staff were very accommodating to us throughout this process and I am very pleased that they listened to us and ultimately removed the language.

Photos from the MAA Billing Summit

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 20:11:24 GMT

Many thanks to EMS Pro for sponsoring today's Billing Summit, as well as presenters Brian Werfel, Esq, Asbel Montes, Brian Choate, and Scott Moore, Esq. We also deeply appreciate Trinity EMS hosting the event!

View photos on Facebook!

Happy 40th, Cataldo!

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 12:36:47 GMT

Congratulations to MAA member Cataldo Ambulance Service on the celebration of their 40th anniversary. More on Facebook►

In Memory of Scott MacAskill

Tue, 08 Aug 2017 13:18:11 GMT

MAA was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of this respected member of our community.

Paramedic Scott MacAskill passed away this past Saturday at his home in Ipswich. Scott has been involved in the MA EMS community for over 20 years with AMR, Cataldo, Northshore Ambulance, Action, Northeast Regional, Brewster, and for the last 5 years with Beauport.

Scott had a positive influence on not only the patients in which he treated but also his peers in which he took pride and joy in teaching.

Scott has left a hole that will never be filled within our family of employees and I kindly ask that you send a uniformed crew and truck for a walk through at Scott's wake. Let's show him the respect and honor he rightfully deserves. Below are the details for his service. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you should have any questions.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS.

(PLEASE SHARE/REPOST)
The arrangements for Scott's visiting hours are as follows:
Wednesday August 9th 4p until 8p
Weir Mac Cuish Family Funeral Home
144 Salem St.
Malden, MA

EMS/POLICE/FIRE, you are welcome and encouraged to show up in uniform as well as in a EMS, police, or fire vehicle. Let's all show the respect and final farewell that Scott deserves.

Thursday morning 10am there will be a service at the funeral home only. No church or graveside service will occurr.

Respectfully,

John R. Morris
President

Beauport Ambulance Service, Inc.

First Responder Fridays at Canobie Lake Park

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 17:29:42 GMT

FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION DAYS

FREE ADMISSION WITH ID*

Fridays in July & August

*Each Friday in July & August 2017, First Responders (with ID) will receive free admission for themselves. Law Enforcement, Fire Departments, and EMT's with department, company, or town issued ID's presented at our Guest Services Window at the time of purchase will qualify for the free admission.

Learn more at the Canobie Lake Park website.

Ford Recalls 2015 to 2017 Transits

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 21:31:35 GMT

MAA members, please be advised that Ford has issued a recall of late-model Transits.

From the Ford website:

Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 400,000 2015-17 Ford Transit van/bus vehicles with medium, long and extended wheelbases and chassis cab/cutaways with medium wheelbases to replace the driveshaft flexible coupling.

In the affected vehicles, continuing to operate a vehicle with a cracked flexible coupling may cause separation of the driveshaft, resulting in a loss of motive power while driving or unintended vehicle movement in park without the parking brake applied. In addition, separation of the driveshaft from the transmission can result in secondary damage to surrounding components, including brake and fuel lines. A driveshaft separation may increase the risk of injury or crash.

Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue.

Affected vehicles include 2015-17 Ford Transit vehicles built at Kansas City Assembly Plant, Jan. 17, 2014 to June 15, 2017.

The recall involves approximately 402,462 vehicles in North America (370,630 in the U.S., 2,361 in federalized territories, 3,217 in Mexico and 26,254 in Canada). The Ford reference number for this recall is 17S15.

Based on the field data, Ford does not expect the current flexible couplings to deteriorate sufficiently to result in driveline separation in vehicles with less than 30,000 miles. Hence, for affected vehicles with under 30,000 miles or vehicles that have had a driveshaft or driveshaft flexible coupling replaced within the last 30,000 miles, no alteration or interim repair is required until the vehicle or replaced flexible coupling reaches 30,000 miles. At that point, the customer should schedule an appointment with their dealer for the interim repair to be performed.

For affected vehicles with more than 30,000 miles, the interim repair will consist of replacing the driveshaft flexible coupling every 30,000 miles until the final repair is available and completed. Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the flexible coupling replaced immediately at no cost. When the permanent repair is available, owners will be notified that they may schedule an appointment with their dealer to have either a redesigned flexible coupling with a modified driveshaft bracket and shield or a revised driveshaft equipped with a universal joint installed at no cost.

FDA: Extended Use Dates on Some Pfizer Injectables

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 21:36:43 GMT

Update from the FDA: Extended Use Dates Provided by Pfizer to Assist with Emergency Syringe Shortages

Due to the ongoing critical shortages of injectable drugs used in critical care, please see additional emergency syringe products with extended use dates and corresponding lot numbers in the tables below. To help ensure patient safety, these products should have been — and should continue to be — stored as per labeled conditions. As data become available, this list can continue to expand.

For more information, see the CDER Statement. Please contact CDER Drug Shortage Staff at drugshortages@fda.hhs.gov with questions regarding these tables.

Learn more on the FDA site►

MAA Members at Stars of Life in DC

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 21:33:51 GMT

Several staff members from MAA-member organizations were selected as 2017 American Ambulance Association Stars of Life. Check out photos of their time in Washington, DC on the MAA Facebook page!

View Photos►

Photos from the Operations Summit in Woburn

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 17:51:56 GMT

Thanks to all who attended the MAA 2017 Operations Summit, and to LifeLine Ambulance Service for hosting. The event was well-attended, and received rave reviews.

Check out photos on the MAA Facebook page!

Happy EMS Week from MAA!

Mon, 22 May 2017 13:25:00 GMT

43rd Annual EMS Week
“Always In Service”
May 21–27, 2017

Each year, EMS Week celebrates the contributions of EMTs, Paramedics, Dispatchers, and other EMS professionals to their communities. Thank you for your service!

CAAS GVS Remount Forum June 7 in Charlotte, NC

Fri, 19 May 2017 13:03:44 GMT

The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, Ground Vehicle Standard Division (CAAS-GVS) will be holding an open forum for organizations involved in the remounting of ambulances. The intent of this meeting is to identify and establish a dialogue with FSAMs and third party Remounters of ambulances in an effort to collect information that may be used in an identified project to create standards for the ambulance remount industry.

Any organization with interest in this topic is invited to attend, including ambulance builders, remounters, regulators, customers and component/material vendors.

CAAS GVS Remount Forum
June 7, 2017
NEW LOCATION: Harris Conference Center
Charlotte, NC
Register Now►

Notice of Proposed 1115 Demonstration Amendment

Wed, 17 May 2017 15:51:37 GMT

On Friday, May 12 th , the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) announced its intent to submit a Request to Amend the MassHealth Section 1115 Demonstration to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 26, 2017 and related State Plan Amendments (SPAs) thereafter. The Demonstration Amendment Request outlines the specific authorities being requested from CMS to ensure the sustainability of the MassHealth program while retaining access for vulnerable populations. Specifically, the Demonstration Amendment seeks authority to limit non-emergency transportation in the MassHealth CarePlus program, except for transportation to substance use disorder (SUD) services, to modify eligibility criteria for provisional eligibility, and to continue existing coverage of certain former foster care youth. Related SPAs addressing these changes will also be submitted pursuant to CMS requirements.

EOHHS will accept comments on the proposed Demonstration Amendment including the related SPAs (collectively the “proposed Amendment”) through June 12, 2017. The proposed Amendment; details on where to submit comments; and additional relevant information are available at http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/masshealth/masshealth-and-health-care-reform.html .

MAA Educational Opportunities

Wed, 17 May 2017 11:22:11 GMT

The MAA board is proud to present members with many more education opportunities in 2017 than in any previous year! Check out our list of upcoming events to find workshops to fit every member of your team. Go Now►

Inaugural MAA Fleet Luncheon

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 16:47:31 GMT

Today ambulance fleet gurus from across Massachusetts gathered to discuss key issues tied to keeping service rolling. What an enormous collection of expertise under one roof!

(Thanks to Scott Moore of EMS Resource Advisors, LLC for the snapshot, which is also posted to Facebook.)

MAA Annual Dinner Photos!

Fri, 10 Mar 2017 21:56:51 GMT

Yesterday's MAA Annual Dinner & Legislator of the Year Ceremony was an elegant networking event attended by more than 90 ambulance leaders from across the state. Attendees mingled, dined, and discussed current industry issues, then honored State Representative Geoff Diehl as 2016 Legislator of the Year.

Representative Diehl has shown longstanding commitment to a variety of issues impacting ambulance services and their ability to continue providing their communities with excellent healthcare.

View event photos on Facebook►

Free Claims Denial Webinar 3/16

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:19:29 GMT

ZOLL will host a free webinar on "Phrases of Rejection—Words That Lead to Denied Claims" on March 16.

Phrases of Rejection—Words That Lead to Denied Claims
March 16 at 2:00 p.m. ET
Speaker: Steve Johnson, PWW
1 NAAC CEU

US News Rankings: Mass #1 Overall, #2 in Healthcare

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 18:56:56 GMT

US News & World Reports recently ranked Massachusetts as the overall best state, and number two in healthcare. Check out the full rankings on their site!

Medicare ID Number Update

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 14:02:48 GMT

(from MAA Secretary Sean Patrick Tyler)

In 2015, Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. This law requires the removal of Social Security numbers from all Medicare cards by April 2019. This new initiative is referred to as the Social Security Number Removal Initiative (SSNRI). The new Medicare card will have a completely different and randomly assigned identifier that will be 11 characters long with a mix of numbers and uppercase letters. This is called the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). Starting around April 2018, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will start mailing out the new Medicare cards in phases, since there are approximately 60 million beneficiaries on Medicare. If a beneficiary is new to Medicare after April 2018, the beneficiary will receive the new MBI Medicare card.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established a transition period from April 2018 through Dec. 31, 2019. During this transition period, either the current Medicare card or the new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier card will be accepted. After Dec. 31, 2019, only the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier card will be accepted.

https://tinyurl.com/MAANews

Rep. Geoff Diehl Selected As MAA Legislator of the Year

Fri, 27 Jan 2017 20:48:01 GMT

The board of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association is proud to announce that Representative Geoff Diehl was selected as the MAA 2016 Legislator of the Year.

Representative Diehl was chosen as the result of his tireless efforts to ensure continued EMS excellence in the state of Massachusetts. In his own words, "I am proud to support your ambulance companies and EMS services. When my constituents, and the people across the state, have an emergency, I know that there is reliable service on the other end of the phone, ready to help them in an instant. However, that reliability requires a unique commitment and determination. That's why I am always ready to help ambulance and EMS services with the legislative initiatives needed to allow your work to continue unabated. As a community, we are grateful for always being there for us."

The MAA is deeply grateful for the support of Representative Diehl, and looks forward to formally recognizing him February 9 at the association's Annual Dinner and Legislator of the Year Awards.

Happy Holidays from MAA!

Mon, 19 Dec 2016 16:08:35 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association wishes you and yours a very happy holiday season. Thank you for your service to the communities in our state!

Photos from the 2016 Best Practices Summit

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 14:45:37 GMT

Yesterday, ambulance industry professionals from 23 companies across four states convened at Professional EMS in Cambridge for the 2016 MAA Best Practices Summit.

The Summit featured short, intense peer-to-peer education on topics ranging from transporting Ebola patients to mobile integrated health to the Coverdell Stroke Collaborative.

Check out more photos on the Massachusetts Ambulance Association Facebook page!

MAA members, you can access slide presentations shared by speakers on the Meeting Archive page.

(Special thanks to our sponsors Solutions Group, InSight Mobile Data, and the CT EMS Expo.)

In Memory of John Lynch, UMass Memorial EMS Paramedic

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 13:43:37 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Paramedic John Lynch, 60. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues.

Read Mr. Lynch's obituary in the Worcester Gazette.

MAA VP Ron Quaranto of Cataldo Elected to AAA Board

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 14:13:22 GMT

Congratulations to the Massachusetts Ambulance Association's Vice President, Ron Quaranto, on his election to the American Ambulance Association board of directors. Ron will represent AAA Region One through 2018.

Read AAA's interview with Ron.

Trinity EMS and FirstWatch Win 2016 AMBY

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 14:03:57 GMT

Congratulations to MAA member Trinity EMS and partner FirstWatch for their selection as the 2016 American Ambulance Association AMBY winner for Best Use of Technology. Trinity and FirstWatch joined forces to fight the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts.

Linda J. Moriarty Celebration of Life

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 18:34:59 GMT

Brian K Andrews, President of Western Massachusetts EMS, asked that we share the following with you.

Linda J. Moriarty Celebration of Life

Please Join Us

Thursday December 1, 2016 from 6 PM – 9 PM at Union Station Ballroom, Northampton, MA

6:00 PM-7:00 PM Social Hour. Cash Bar and a variety of butler-style hors d’oeuvres. Music by one of Linda’s favorite local entertainers, Noah Lis
7:00 PM Event begins, Invited Speakers Your Host: R.F. Conway, MD
830 PM Raise a Toast to LJM

TICKETS REQUIRED:

Thanks to the generous support of the WMEMS Regional Board, the first 150 PAID tickets are only $20

After #150, tickets reserved or purchased by Monday November 21 at 5 pm are $25. You may reserve a ticket at the $25 price and pay at the door. (Reserved tickets will be billed regardless of actual attendance.) Beginning November 22 or At-The-Door, tickets are $30.

Funds exceeding event expenses will be donated to “Rays of Hope “and the” Dakin Humane Society” in Linda’s Name. There will also be optional donation opportunities on-site.

Make checks payable to WMEMS For more information or to reserve/purchase tickets please contact:

Nancy Morrissey, Nancy_Morrissey@AMR-EMS.com ( cash, check)
Deb Clapp, debclapp@comcast.net, 413-695-5278 (cash, check, paypal )
Lisa Herringshaw, lherringshaw@wmems.org 586-6065 (cash, check, paypal )
Lisa Rhoades, Lrhoades@aeiouhc.com or (413) 427-8466 (cash or check)
Sandra Mizula, mizulas@gcc.mass.edu or (413)522-7431 (cash, check)
Dawn Josefski josefski@gcc.mass.edu or (413) 575-3558 (cash, check)

Brian K. Andrews, EMTP
President
Western Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services
(413)499-2527
(413)281-7209 cell
www.wmems.org

2017 Membership Dues Rates

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 15:13:24 GMT

The board of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association is proud to serve the needs of some of the finest EMS providers in the state.

Over the past year, the MAA board has delivered to members legislative and regulatory advocacy excellence, a redesigned website, a new social media presence, and an enhanced benefit package featuring member savings and more. Now, more than ever, the MAA needs your continued support.

As befits the MAA's history of frugality, the board has not raised dues in several years. In 2017, to keep pace with the costs of our ongoing advocacy, legal, and operations needs, a slight increase is reflected below.

Active (voting) members: $275 fee, plus $110 per ambulance ($3500 cap)
Associate (municipal/gov) members: $550
Affiliate (vendor) members: $1100

Please contact maa@the-aaa.org should you have any questions or concerns about the dues change.

Thank you again for your continued support, and we look forward to serving your ambulance service for many years to come.

Ambulance Entrance at New Lahey ER Named After Armstrong Founder

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 20:24:18 GMT

It was wonderful to see the founder of MAA member Armstrong Ambulance Service *Official Page*, William F. Armstrong, recognized for his generosity in the naming of the Armstrong Ambulance Entrance at the new Lahey Hospital & Medical Center ER. (Hat tip to Cataldo Ambulance Service's Ron Quaranto!)

See photos of the ER opening reception on the MAA Facebook page.

Follow MAA on Facebook!

Fri, 23 Sep 2016 20:30:46 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association now has its very own Facebook page. "Like" MAA from your organizational and personal accounts to keep up-to-date with your fellow members.

MAA Facebook Page

Photos from the September 2016 Membership Meeting

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 12:53:07 GMT

Thanks to the many Massachusetts Ambulance Association members who joined the board for the September 20 Membership Meeting in Bedford, MA. Below are a few photos of members and leaders in action!

(MAA members, review the meeting agenda, minutes, and roster on the Meeting Archive page.)

9/7 MassHealth Provider Bulletin: MNF Form & CORI Checks

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 13:39:32 GMT

From MAA Secretary Tyler to All Members:

Good morning everyone. Please note that MassHealth has sent an updated to its Transportation Bulletin 16 which makes firm the exclusive requirement for services to use the MassHealth MNF. To be abundantly clear, not other forms will be accepted.

What does this mean? It means that as of 09/07/2016 (the date of the release of the updated transmittal), MassHealth will only accept its form. This transmittal closes a loop-hole for the use of other medical necessity forms by stating, “Neither previous MassHealth forms nor forms created by transportation providers will be considered valid authorization for such transportation.”

Additionally , please note the annual requirement for the completion of CORI checks for your employees. “130 CMR 407.405, all transportation providers must ensure that before having any contact with a MassHealth member, drivers and attendants undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check. Documentation of the CORI check must remain on file at the transportation provider’s place of business and a new check for each driver and attendant must be conducted annually thereafter” [emphasis added].

Please contact the MAA with any questions or MassHealth Customer Service Center at 1-800-841-2900, e-mail your inquiry to providersupport@mahealth.net, or fax your inquiry to 617-988-8974.

Regards,
PST

From: Publications Unit [mailto:ehs-publications@state.ma.us]
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2016 2:15 PM
To: Sean Tyler
Subject: MassHealth Provider Publications

Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2016 2:15 PM

To: Sean Tyler

Subject: MassHealth Provider Publications

You are on our list to receive notice when new MassHealth bulletins and transmittal letters are posted on the web. MassHealth has issued the following publications.

Provider Bulletins

All-Provider Bulletin 261: Plan Selection Periods and Fixed Enrollment Periods for Members Enrolled in a Managed Care Organization (MCO)
All-Provider Bulletin 260: Changes to Primary Care Clinician Plan (PCC Plan) Services Requiring a Referral
Transportation Bulletin 16 – updated: Revised Medical Necessity Form and Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Reminder

http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/laws-regs/masshealth/provider-library/provider-bulletins/2016-bulletins.html

To view and download other MassHealth publications, go to www.mass.gov/masshealth and click on Provider Library.

To remove your e-mail address from this subscription list, send a blank e-mail to leave-masshealth-provider-pubs@listserv.state.ma.us. No text in the body or subject line is needed. This subscription service is separate from automatic provider mailings. MassHealth providers should choose the way that they prefer to receive bulletins and transmittal letters. To choose, go to www.mass.gov/eohhs/provider/insurance/masshealth and click on Online Services or call MassHealth Customer Service at 1-800-841-2900.

Nonproviders who request that their e-mail address be removed from this subscription list will no longer receive e-mail alerts announcing when new bulletins and transmittal letters have been posted to the MassHealth web site.

In Memory of Linda Moriarty

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 12:47:10 GMT

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Linda Moriarty. Our thoughts are with her family.

From Hafey Funeral Service:

Linda Jean Moriarty, 67, of Springfield, passed away Monday September 12, 2016 at Vibra Hospital in Springfield. Born in Springfield to the late Thomas and Jean (Purcell) Moriarty, Linda spent her youth in New Jersey, graduating from Morris Catholic High School in 1967. She then went on to receive her Bachelor’s degree from Boston University and in 1974 she started a long and dedicated career in Emergency Medical Services.

Linda was a pioneer of her time, becoming one of the very first female EMT’s in the State of Massachusetts. She began as Manager for Para-Medic Ambulance services for many years and then went on to be Executive Director of Western Mass Emergency Services Regional Council where she stayed working even through her illness. Linda was always found putting others before herself. She was also adjunct professor at Springfield College for 25 years in Emergency Medical Management and at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, she coordinated an advanced cardiac life support course which she ran for the past ten years. Linda not only paved the way for women in her industry but her devotion and dedication to her service and career is what has made many Ambulance Leaders who they are today.

Linda also served on several councils, including State Homeland Security and EMS State Education Council and was twice President of the Executive Women’s Golf Association.

From 1976-2015, Linda also worked in Information Services at the Big E in West Springfield. She also enjoyed golfing, rock climbing and camping and was very proud of her Irish Heritage.

Linda is survived by her best friend and partner of 43 years who also paved the way with Linda throughout their careers, Judith “Jude” Moore of Springfield; her siblings, Christine Moriarty of New Jersey, Karen “K.T.” Moriarty of Georgia, Brian Moriarty and his wife Diane of New Jersey and Sheila Tyree and her husband Russell of Georgia; her Aunt, Sylvia Moriarty and her son Paul of Springfield; many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews whom she adored; many cousins including, Mary (Caffrey) Robitaille and her fiancé, John Bobrowski, Debbie Murphy, Skip and Lu Caffrey, Lea Caffrey, Dan Caffrey, Steven Caffrey and Scott Caffrey as well as an abundance of dear friends and co-workers from over the years. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Michael Moriarty in 2013.

Family and friends are invited to meet for visitation on Sunday September 18th from 12noon – 5:00 PM and again on Monday September 19th from 4:00 – 8:00 PM at Hafey Springfield Chapels, 494 Belmont Avenue.

All may meet for Linda’s Liturgy of Christian Burial on Tuesday September 20th at 10:00 AM at Holy Name Church, 323 Dickinson St., Springfield followed by burial in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Springfield. Memorial donations may be made in Linda’s memory to Rays of Hope, 280 Chestnut St. 6th Floor, Springfield, MA 01199 or to the Springfield Rescue Mission, 10 Mill St., Springfield, MA 01108

Savvik: Beat the EpiPen (Epinephrine) Price Surge!

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 17:40:16 GMT

You may have read that many ambulance services are facing a 400% price increase in the price of EpiPen epinephrine injections. MAA members are beating the surge through MAA and the American Ambulance Association's partnership with the Savvik Buying Group (formerly the North Central EMS Cooperative). Members, save big on Epi-Pen and Epi-Pen Jr today

Epinephrine Auto-Inject Adult

0.3MG 2/Pk

Item# 2771282

Savvik Price for AAA Members: $360.32
Compare at : $689.00—Save 47%

Order Now

New to Savvik? Get linked to AAA’s Savvik account, FREE! No volume commitment, just buy what you need.

Already signed up with Savvik? Order now, or call your Henry Schein sales rep

Epinephrine Auto-Inject Jr

0.15MG 2/Pk

Item# 2771281

Savvik Price for AAA Members: $360.32
Compare at : $689.00—Save 47%

Order Now

New to Savvik? Get linked to AAA’s Savvik account, FREE! No volume commitment, just buy what you need.

Already signed up with Savvik? Order now, or call your Henry Schein sales rep

MassHealth MNF Signee Clarification (Mass Senior Care E-News)

Tue, 23 Aug 2016 21:43:05 GMT

From the August 18 Mass Senior Care E-News Update

MassHealth Medical Necessity Form for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation: Clarification on Signee of MNF

As previously reported, MassHealth has issued Transportation Bulletin 16/June 2016 announcing that effective July 1, 2016, a revised Medical Necessity Form (MNF) will be used to authorize non-emergency medical transportation for MassHealth members. This new MNF is required to authorize all non-emergency medical transportation covered by MassHealth on a fee-for-service basis. MassHealth covers only three types of non-emergency medical transportation covered by MassHealth on a fee-for-service basis: (1) wheelchair van transportation provided to MassHealth members who reside in institutional settings; (2) wheelchair van transportation provided to MassHealth members who reside in the community and need mobility assistance from transportation provider personnel to exit their residences or to move from their residences to the vehicle; and (3) non-emergency ambulance transportation provided to any MassHealth member, regardless of where the member resides. Neither previous MassHea lth forms nor forms created by transportation providers will be considered valid authorization for such transportation.

Please also note MassHealth has clarified that in regard to an authorized signee of the MNF in nursing facilities, only an RN under the “physician designee” is an acceptable signatory. LPNs in nursing facilities are not an acceptable signatory on a medical necessity form.

Member Comments Needed: DPH Mobile Integrated Health Regulations

Tue, 23 Aug 2016 17:35:01 GMT

The DPH presented the draft Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) regulations at this morning's Public Health Council (PCH) meeting.

MAA members are invited to review the proposed regulations and provide comments no later than September 10, so that they can be compiled and shared at the September 22 PCH meeting by MAA leaders.

Thank you for your assistance in driving Massachusetts Mobile Integrated Health policy!

Questions? Please contact the MAA Board, or maa@the-aaa.org.

Cataldo Ambulance Service Renews Service Contract with City of Waltham

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 14:51:48 GMT

For Immediate Release

Contact
Lindsey Sonn
781-873-4339
lsonn@cataldoambulance.com

Somerville, MA – August 10, 2016 - Cataldo Ambulance Service is pleased to announce the recent renewal of the exclusive contract to provide emergency ambulance services to the City of Waltham. The contract was signed to renew as of March 15, 2016.

Cataldo Ambulance has been providing ALS and BLS coverage for Waltham since February 2013. As agreed upon by both parties, Cataldo Ambulance will also continue to provide coverage and support for various community events and details. Ambulance coverage will also be on standby at all working fires.

Cataldo Ambulance Service, and its division Atlantic Ambulance Service, are committed to developing strong, long term relationships with the facilities, communities and patients served. The success is based on personal commitment, honesty, integrity and quality service.

Cataldo Ambulance Service

Cataldo Ambulance Service, and Atlantic Ambulance Service(a division of Cataldo Ambulance Service), currently provide 911 responses for 16 municipalities, hospitals and numerous private contracts from 19 base locations throughout Massachusetts covering Greater Boston and the North Shore. They are also a leading private provider of Emergency Medical Transportation in the Commonwealth. The Atlantic Ambulance Service Division is the primary entity that responds to communities in the northern most region of the Cataldo Ambulance Service operating area.

Cataldo Ambulance Service Renews Service Contract with City of Chelsea

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 14:13:08 GMT

For Immediate Release

Contact
Lindsey Sonn
781-873-4339
lsonn@cataldoambulance.com

Somerville, MA – August 1, 2016 - Cataldo Ambulance Service is pleased to announce the recent renewal of the exclusive contract to provide emergency ambulance services to the City of Chelsea. The contract, signed to renew as of July 1, 2016, is for a period of one year.

Cataldo Ambulance has been providing ALS and BLS coverage for Chelsea since July 1983. As agreed upon by both parties, Cataldo Ambulance will also continue to provide coverage and support for various community events and details. Ambulance coverage will also be on standby at all working fires.

Cataldo Ambulance Service

Cataldo Ambulance Service, and Atlantic Ambulance Service (a division of Cataldo Ambulance Service), currently provide 911 responses for 16 municipalities, hospitals and numerous private contracts from 19 base locations throughout Massachusetts covering Greater Boston and the North Shore. They are also a leading private provider of Emergency Medical Transportation in the Commonwealth. The Atlantic Ambulance Service Division is the primary entity that responds to communities in the northern most region of the Cataldo Ambulance Service operating area.

7th Annual Run to Home Base at Fenway Park is Saturday 7/23

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 11:39:55 GMT

At a recent MAA membership meeting, ambulance services were introduced to the Home Base Program, an innovative program serving veterans and their families.

Saturday, July 23 marks the 7th Annual Run to Home Base at Fenway Park. The Run to Home Base connects the Veteran community to the people of New England, while raising awareness of the Invisible Wounds of War. Up to 2,500 runners and walkers and approximately 8,000 friends and family members will cheer on participants from the stands at Fenway.

The Park will open to all visitors at 5:30am and the Opening Ceremonies begin at 7:10am. The day also includes the Fan Experience Zone with trophies, Red Sox Legends, Wally the Green Monster; the Military Appreciation area with the assembly of 800 care packages taking place; and other free family-fun activities.

Visit www.runtohomebase.org for more information! We hope to see you there.

Questions?

Please contact

Leslie S. Feinberg
Project Manager
Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program
office 617.724.5335
lsfeinberg@mgh.harvard.edu
www.homebaseprogram.org

Now Available: July 13 Membership Meeting Recording

Fri, 15 Jul 2016 02:57:32 GMT

Did you miss the July 13 MAA membership meeting? Catch up on what you missed by listening to the recorded session or reading draft minutes!

Members, login to the Meeting Archive page to get started!

Not yet a member of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association? Join today to become part of a thriving community of professionals dedicated to solving the toughest problems facing the ambulance industry.

State Seeks New Director of OEMS

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 18:01:53 GMT

The Massachusetts Bureau of Heath Care Safety and Quality is seeking a new Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS). To submit yourself for consideration, please apply http://tinyurl.com/MDPHDirOEMS before July 27, 2016.

Fallon Ambulance Employees Roll out Program to Support Governor Baker’s Initiative #StateWithoutStigMa

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 23:48:07 GMT

QUINCY, MA, ISSUED JULY 13, 2016…Fallon Ambulance Service (www.fallonambulance.com) employees have pledged their support to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s #StateWithoutStigMA campaign which seeks to end the stigma of addiction in communities.

According the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s website on the topic, “The stigma of drug misuse keeps people from seeking treatment. Words like “junkie,” “addict” and “druggie” can hurt, damaging self-image and standing in the way of recovery. Addiction is not a choice. It’s a chronic disease similar to diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.”

In support of the program all of Fallon’s personnel have signed pledge cards and will run the program for the next four weeks educating people about the stigma of addiction and mental health. Fallon Ambulance is believed to be the first ambulance service in the Commonwealth to publicly endorse and support #StateWithoutStigMA.

In supporting #StateWithoutStigma Fallon’s employees state that they understand that addiction is not a choice-- it’s a disease. They pledge to join the movement against stigma by embracing those in need and showing compassion in how they think about, talk about, and treat people who struggle with addiction – empowering them to seek treatment and a successful recovery.

“In line with the company’s near 100-year old history of people helping people, supporting this campaign serves as a natural extension of Fallon as a community of concerned citizens,” said Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President at Fallon Ambulance.

People who struggle with addictions to prescription painkillers and heroin (known as opioids) face a wide range of stigmas. A stigma is a mark of disgrace that sets a person or a group apart. When people are labeled primarily because of their addiction, they are being negatively stereotyped. Biased, hurtful words, attitudes and behavior represent prejudices against people with substance use disorder, and often lead to their discrimination and social exclusion.

Stigmas can also create physical and mental barriers for people with addiction to seeking treatment.

“As First Responders our Paramedics and EMTs are on the front lines of this crisis in our communities,” said Christine M. Hamilton, RN, EMT, Director of Risk Management and campaign champion at Fallon Ambulance. “Our men and women see first-hand the damage that addiction has done to families and individuals in our community. We are proud to educate and support the community and to treat people as people, with respect and dignity, as is our ongoing philosophy.”

About Fallon Ambulance

Fallon Ambulance Service was founded in 1923 by James R. Fallon, Sr. Mr. Fallon’s son, James R. (Ray) Fallon, Jr., served as President and owner from 1974 until 2000. Today, Timothy J. Fallon, grandson to the founder, serves as CEO. Tim’s sister Kathleen Mackie, step brothers, Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President and Normand Racicot, Vice President, also represent the third generation of this family business. And a fourth generation represented by 7 great grandchildren of the founder is working in various capacities in the organization. Fallon Ambulance is the largest privately owned and operated ambulance service in the Northeast. Fallon Ambulance employs more than 600 personnel, operates more than 150 vehicles and responds to over 160,000 emergency and non-emergency calls per year. Fallon Ambulance is the 9-1-1 provider for the municipalities of Milton, Brookline, Weymouth, and Dedham and provides primary backup to Boston and Randolph. Fallon Ambulance Service additionally provides medical transportation for a number of area medical facilities including nursing homes, hospitals, and HMOs throughout Greater Boston, the South Shore and Metro West region. It is headquartered at 111-115 Brook Road, Quincy, MA and operates satellite offices throughout its coverage area. Fallon Ambulance Service has been recognized many times by various business and community organizations for its exceptional service. For additional information about Fallon Ambulance Services or programs that the company offers, contact Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President, at (617) 745-2117 or visit www.fallonambulance.com.

Jim Farrell

PR First

2048 Washington Street Suite 1

Hanover, MA 02339

781-681-6616

Cell: 617-429-7990

Twitter: @jimprfirst

Cataldo Ambulance Service Renews Back-up Service Contract with City of Melrose

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 14:10:15 GMT

Somerville, MA – July 7, 2016 - Cataldo Ambulance Service is pleased to announce the recent renewal of the contract to provide exclusive back-up coverage of Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance services to the City of Melrose. The contract renewal, which began July 1st 2016, is for a period of two years.

As agreed upon by both parties, Cataldo Ambulance will also continue to provide coverage and support for various community events. Since July 2008, Cataldo Ambulance Service has been involved in emergency medical services coverage for the City of Melrose. With several base locations surrounding Melrose, Cataldo Ambulance is well-equipped to handle the continued requests for back-up ALS and BLS responses within the City.

Cataldo Ambulance has a proven track record of clinical excellence and thirty-nine years of experience in providing emergency medical services in the Greater Boston and North Shore areas of Massachusetts.

Cataldo Ambulance Service

Contact:

Lindsey Sonn
781-873-4339
lsonn@cataldoambulance.com

Cataldo Ambulance Service Renews Service Contract with Anna Jaques Hospital

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 12:57:12 GMT

Somerville, MA – July 5, 2016 - Cataldo Ambulance Service is pleased to announce the recent renewal of the exclusive contract with Atlantic Ambulance Service, a Division of Cataldo Ambulance Service to provide medical transportation services to Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, MA. The term of the contract began on July 1, 2016 and will remain in effect for a period of three years.

In November 2012, Atlantic Ambulance began operations in The City of Newburyport and the surrounding communities of Salisbury and West Newbury. Since that time, Atlantic Ambulance has assumed the responsibility of providing all frontline EMS ambulance services to each of the three communities. Atlantic Ambulance is pleased to continue to work in conjunction with Anna Jaques Hospital, as their Exclusive Medical Transportation provider.

Atlantic has a proven track record of clinical excellence and a strong expertise in working with large, well-renowned medical institutions throughout Massachusetts. Vice President, Dennis Cataldo stated, "Everyone at our company is thrilled to be continuing our relationship with the Anna Jaques Hospital. We truly enjoy the outstanding working relationship that exists between the many staff members of our organizations. Together we are dedicated to providing exceptional services to every patient we serve".

Cataldo Ambulance Service greatly values the hard work, dedication and compassionate care that is delivered by their employees to the patients and visitors of Anna Jaques Hospital.

Anna Jaques Hospital

On May 7, 1884 the first patient was admitted to Anna Jaques Hospital. By 1901 the hospital's original building had become inadequate. Plans began to take shape and three years later in 1904 the Georgian Revival building that stands to this day was opened at 25 Highland Avenue in Newburyport. That "new" hospital remains the centerpiece, and proud historic front, of Anna Jaques Hospital today. Although many hospital expansions, and an attractive neighborhood, have grown up around the hospital, the original building stands as a testament to one woman's, and one physician's, commitment to the community and its needs.

Cataldo Ambulance Service

On Demand for Members: Virtual Billing Roundtable on MNF

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 17:57:57 GMT

Today, P. Sean Tyler, Secretary of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association, reviewed program changes to MassHealth regarding medical necessity documentation for all types of non-emergency medical transportation. He also led a lively discussion around operationalizing the changes for both ambulance and wheelchair transportation service.

MAA members, visit the Reimbursement & Billing page to launch the on-demand recording!

(Not yet an MAA member organization? Join online today.)

Stat EMS Renews 911 Contract with Town of Dartmouth

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 13:21:45 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jim Farrell, PR First, 781-681-6616, jfarrell@prfirst.com

DARTMOUTH, MA, ISSUED June 20, 2016…Stat Ambulance Service has been awarded an extension of their municipal 9-1-1 contract with the Town of Dartmouth for another five years.

Mark Haskell, President of Corporate Affairs and Government Relations for Stat/Southcoast EMS, said that the company has been the contracted 9-1-1 responder for the Town for more than 30 years. The contract with the Town existed before the company transitioned ownership to Carol Mansfield of Mattapoisett, making it the first female-owned ambulance firm in the state. With this contact, Stat will have served the Town of Dartmouth for 40 years.

Carol Mansfield, CEO of Stat Ambulance, said, “We value the relationship we have with Dartmouth and are looking forward to another five years of providing 911 service to the town.”

Ms. Mansfield’s tenure in the ambulance industry began in 1987 when she purchased Stat Ambulance. In 2008 she founded Southcoast EMS, which expanded their territory to include 9-1-1 backup for Fall River and New Bedford, and multiple nursing homes in the area. In 2012 she purchased Coastline Ambulance in East Providence. This acquisition doubled the size of the company. Also in 2012, Stat launched Stat Emergency Medical Training which provides EMT training to local area residents. In 2015 she purchased New England Emergency Medical Training Center in East Providence. NEEMT prepares individuals for the EMT & Paramedic exams.

About Stat/Southcoast/Coastline EMS/Stat Emergency Training/New England Emergency Medical Training

Together the firms employ over 250 local residents, and operate more than 60 ambulances, 30 wheelchair vans, 8 medical livery vehicles and two fleet service vehicles. All companies set high standards in the recruitment and training of their Paramedics, EMTs and medical livery drivers. Corporate headquarters are located at 360 Faunce Corner Road, North Dartmouth, MA. The companies run buses in New Bedford, Fall River, Newport, RI, East Providence, Warwick and Smithfield, RI. For additional information please contact Mark Haskell, President of Corporate Affairs and Government Relations at 401-434-3120, or visit www.southcoastems.com

Mobile Integrated Healthcare/Community Paramedicine

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 16:36:32 GMT

Interview with Ron Quaranto, COO of Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc. and Vice President of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association

What is community paramedicine?

The initiative behind community paramedicine is to provide quality care to high-risk patient populations (e.g. congestive heart failure, pneumonia, MI, etc.) at a controlled cost. We want to avoid unnecessary ambulance rides, ER visits, hospital admissions and observation when a patient does not necessarily require all that additional care and expense, and could simply receive some type of intervention and management in the home environment. That is a driving force behind community paramedicine.

How did Cataldo begin its community paramedicine program?

When community paramedicine became a hot topic here in Massachusetts, about half a dozen ambulance services lobbied the state to allow for a special project waiver in order to trial community paramedicine. Massachusetts regulations, the way they are currently written today, do not allow ambulance services to treat and not transport. With community paramedicine, we want to treat patients at home and preferably leave them at home with good treatment. Both Cataldo and Eascare Ambulance Service were successful and were granted a special project waiver. In order to get the waiver we needed to have a partner, and Cataldo chose the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to do our trial with.

Tell us about Cataldo’s community paramedic program.

About three years ago, we began the development of our program, SmartCare. Our approach, unlike other community paramedic programs out there, was not to use our existing ambulance fleet, but to instead use dedicated vehicles and clinicians who are specially trained in providing care for the high-risk, more complex patient populations. The vehicle we use is not an ambulance – it does not have lights or a siren. It is a minivan style vehicle that is fully equipped at the ALS level, so paramedics have everything that an ambulance has (all of their equipment, intubation, IV, medication, etc.) but in a non-emergent vehicle. The vehicle also has advanced technology with teleconferencing and data sharing, and a modem so laptops can connect wirelessly and transmit that data.

While there are other agencies out there, like home care agencies and visiting nurses associations, which are all incredibly valuable and which we work very closely with, our program is slightly different. We do different interventions and have different skill sets. We have identified vehicles and community paramedics who are specially trained to do advanced treatment on these particular patients. When we identify a patient in need (meaning a patient who does not require 911 services but does require some attention), we deploy the community paramedics. They go to the home, evaluate the patient, and in the end make a determination on whether or not the patient can remain at home or should go to another healthcare facility, be it an urgent care center, the ER, or the primary care physician’s office. All treatment and evaluation is done based on pre-established protocols that we’ve collectively developed with the care team so they know what intervention they can do and at what points they need to stop and consult with the care team. There is always a high-end interaction between our community paramedics, the ordering nurses, and the primary care physicians, and the community paramedics are able to do a lot of data sharing, such as the electronic patient care report, test and lab results, etc., right from the patient’s home. We also have the ability to utilize teleconferencing, so we can bring the physician or nurse face-to-face with the patient for follow-up on a specific issue.

Another value of the SmartCare program is that our communication center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most healthcare facilities/institutions have systems in place that are available during the day, but are not necessarily available during evenings, nights and weekends. These are the times when there is a demand and the limited availability of care causes people to call an ambulance and go to the hospital when they may not need to. By having SmartCare’s resources available at these times, community paramedics can go directly to the patient, evaluate him or her, and then make the decision on whether or not the ER is the correct destination, or if he or she can remain home and avoid the expense and stress. Patients usually do not want to go out and sit in the ER waiting for what is often a minor diagnosis, and then come home faced with copayments and other bills. Being able to see a healthcare provider in the home setting and get the same results, in many cases, saves patients both time and money and allows for a better quality of life.

Does SmartCare have any patients scheduled for regular visits?

Unfortunately, one of the things that the special project waiver prevented us from doing was that proactive approach. We want to identify patients who are considered high-risk and enroll them in our program for regular evaluations, both in-person with a community paramedic as well as over the phone. While this proactive approach is an integral part of community paramedicine, we’re not allowed to do it yet, though we’ve requested to and I’m confident we will be granted the ability to once regulation is rewritten for community paramedicine here in Massachusetts. Massachusetts has only recently signed Mobile Integrated Health into law and the state, along with the Department of Public Health, created an MIH workgroup to finalize the regulations and protocols under which community paramedics will practice. Once that is complete, we will have the ability to treat patients both proactively, prior to them in need, as well as more urgently should they have a situation that requires immediate attention but not emergency 911 response.

Was it difficult to get the special project waiver? Was it a long process?

It really was quite challenging. It was new and there was a lot of pushback from some of the outside agencies who felt threatened that we were going to take away from their responsibilities – their patients and their transports – which certainly wasn’t the case and has proven not to be the case. We’re looking to work collaboratively with these other services. Even though Cataldo is a transportation provider, we made it clear from the beginning that our intent is not to provide all the transportation, even for the patients who may need it. For a community where Cataldo is not the provider, we call that community’s provider to make sure they maintain the transport. Though the intent behind our program is not to steal transportation volume and revenue, it was a little bit challenging to convince everyone. It took quite a few presentations for the leadership to grasp community paramedicine here in Massachusetts. It’s still a work-in-progress, but we’re confident that in the next six months or so we’ll be fully operational without special project waivers.

As for the timeline of the process, it took about a year of presentations, meetings and development. We submitted our initial request in November 2013, and were issued a special project waiver which ran from October 2014-November 2015, and then were granted an extension until regulations are finalized.

Since the program began, have you received any feedback from those outside agencies that were originally pushing back?

Yes, we’ve had great responses from both the municipalities and the other mobile healthcare agencies. We’re required by the state to report monthly on our interactions, and so far we’ve had great patient outcomes and all indications are that everyone is very pleased with the special project waiver, hence why they are moving forward with more formalized regulation. With ACOs being developed and new regulations that manage hospital readmissions, the SmartCare program has been a good thing for everyone – we can all control costs better while maintaining the quality care that patients deserve.

Fallon Ambulance names Gregory A. Davis as Director of MIH & Community Initiatives

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 15:51:11 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jim Farrell, PR First, 781-681-6616, jfarrell@prfirst.com

Fallon Ambulance names Gregory A. Davis as Director of Mobile Integrated Healthcare Services & Community Initiatives

QUINCY, MA, ISSUED JUNE 6, 2016…Fallon Ambulance Service (www.fallonambulance.com) today announced the appointment of Gregory A. Davis of Barnstable, MA, as Director of Mobile Integrated Healthcare Services & Community Initiatives.

Davis will lead the Fallon Ambulance effort to expand the company’s Mobile Integrated Healthcare Services offerings, working with the senior management team to establish additional relationships with healthcare providers throughout the Greater Boston area to provide expanded out of hospital healthcare services in the home and the community. Mobile Integrated Healthcare Services (MIH) are an emerging trend in the healthcare industry that leverages the expertise of Paramedics and EMTs in caring for patients in the out of hospital environment against the rising use of hospital acute care services. In other words, these services seek to align the patient with the most appropriate clinical care for their needs which includes, among many other things, providing certain types of care for patients in their homes.

Patrick Sean Tyler, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Fallon Ambulance, said that Paramedics and EMTs will play an increasingly pivotal role in an integrated care environment. “Historically, EMTs and Paramedics are seen as the healthcare providers who respond to an emergency, provide stabilizing treatment and transport the patient to a care facility, such as an emergency room.” He continued, “In many cases, though, emergency rooms treat individuals for conditions that could be handled either at a clinic or through home care. The goal is to provide an integrated model of (health) care that aligns the patient with the best care working through the auspices of the patient’s primary care provider. As emergency rooms become increasingly crowded the healthcare community looks for alternatives that can help. The increased use of EMTs and Paramedics, who are highly-trained and experienced medical professionals, can play an important part in an integrated healthcare environment.”

Davis speaks from experience when describing how the concept of Mobile Integrated Health Services works. He comes to Fallon Ambulance from Eascare in Dorchester, where he worked for the previous eight years. During his tenure, he started an MIH program of providing non-acute urgent care in the patient’s homes, thereby reducing the number of trips to area hospitals.

A Paramedic since 1990, he said he hopes to develop similar programs at Fallon Ambulance.

Davis’s resume includes more than 25 years in the EMS field. Prior to his work at Eascare, he was a Paramedic for American Medical Response (AMR) working out of their Plymouth, MA location.

In addition to having developed a program for Mobile integrated Health Services, Davis has spoken on the topic at several conferences, nationally and internationally.

Davis, who earned the Paramedic of the Year award in 2000, resides in Barnstable with his wife Barbara. They are parents to four children. In his spare time, he enjoys photography, traveling and spending time with his family.

Davis said, “This is an important direction for the EMS industry. Mobile integrated health services allow the Paramedics to work not only with emergency room professionals but with primary care, behavioral health, palliative and hospice as well.” He continued, “What you often see in ER visits is long waiting times, particular on the weekends, when primary care physicians may not be available. The introduction of Mobile Integrated Health Services will provide opportunities where an EMT or Paramedic can come into the home, initiate certain treatments, and discuss the treatment plans with the doctors.”

Davis noted that the Commonwealth’s Department of Public Health is working on regulations to allow more such programs to commence. “We will be reaching out to providers in the medical community to see where we can introduce this service and bridge any gaps that might otherwise occur in the home or out of the hospital.” He said that he anticipates working with a number of agencies to see how these services can be introduced and integrated.

Tyler said, “We welcome Greg to our team. He has very strong knowledge and experience with Mobile Integrated Health Services, and we know that he will be an integral part of this effort as we introduce this concept to the region.”

About Fallon Ambulance

Jim Farrell

PR First

2048 Washington Street Suite 1

Hanover, MA 02339

781-681-6616

Cell: 617-429-7990

Twitter: @jimprfirst

Boston Globe Editorial by Cataldo's Tom Kimball

Fri, 03 Jun 2016 12:17:18 GMT

Don't miss the fantastic editorial, Save lives, not seconds, in Wednesday's Boston Globe. Written by Cataldo's Tom Kimball, it gets to the heart of many issues with using response times as the only performance metric. (Emphasis below is ours.)

Many cities and towns in Massachusetts still judge the performance of their ambulance services using metrics like response times, which can miss the point. An additional two minutes waiting for an ambulance will rarely make a difference for a trauma patient facing emergency surgery that may take hours.

Patient outcome is a more valuable measure of whether a medical service is doing right by people. In many areas of health care these days, it is the gold standard, a key factor in determining how much insurance companies pay service providers. Changing the terms of ambulance companies’ contracts to make good patient outcomes the goal could greatly improve the quality of medical care across the state — and save lives.

Read the full editorial over at the Boston Globe.

Fallon Ambulance Receives AHA's Mission Lifeline Gold Award

Thu, 19 May 2016 18:12:31 GMT

Congratulations to MAA member Fallon Ambulance!

Fallon Ambulance Service (www.fallonambulance.com), the region’s largest independently owned ambulance service provider, has been recognized by the American Heart Association for its excellence in response and treatment for heart attack victims in the field.

Fallon Ambulance received the highest level of commendation, the American Heart Association’s Mission Lifeline Gold Award.

Fallon is the only individual private ambulance firm in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to achieve this level of recognition. Qualifying was based on data collected throughout 2015, specifically cases where Fallon Ambulance responded to 9-1-1 calls for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most deadly type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart.

Learn more about Fallon at http://www.fallonambulance.com/about-us/fallon-news.

Happy EMS Week! #EMSstrong

Sun, 15 May 2016 13:13:04 GMT

Happy EMS Week from the Massachusetts Ambulance Association. Thank you for all that you do for the communities of our state.

If you are hosting any special activities this week, MAA would love to share photos! Please email maa@the-aaa.org or reply to the forum post requesting pictures.

Thank you again for your service.

Catch up on MAA minutes

Tue, 10 May 2016 18:13:12 GMT

Attention, Massachusetts Ambulance Association members! If you missed the May MAA meeting, read the minutes on our new Meeting Documents page. (To access the page, login using your email and secret password.)

Welcome to the New massambulance.org!

Tue, 10 May 2016 14:41:59 GMT

Thank you for visiting the new website of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association. Although the new site is still under construction, we are excited to share with you new functionality, including a membership directory, online discussion forum, and a special members-only section.

We thank you for your patience as we work to establish the MAA's new online home. Thank you for your support, and happy holidays!

Need help? Please contact maa@the-aaa.org for assistance.