Bye Bye, EMSA

[fast2okc]

EMSA has switched Oklahoma City Metro area dispatch to the state trunked system.
It is all encrypted.
They say it is because of HIPAA regulations.



--fast2okc

 

[peterjmag]

Welcome to our world OKC!

 

[plaws]

Welcome to our world OKC!

Not missing a lot, IMNSHO. How many "general weakness" and "re***l bleeds" can you listen to? I mean really?



Peter
ex-NREMT-P

 

[Gilligan]

Since fire goes on all EMSA calls, technically you can still hear all their dispatches, right? At least to the closest fire station...

 

[Secret_Squirrel]

EMSA has switched Oklahoma City Metro area dispatch to the state trunked system.
It is all encrypted.
They say it is because of HIPAA regulations.



--fast2okc

Because of HIPAA! Yeah right! Again, I have to bring up the point that MOST other services in Oklahoma and NATIONWIDE haven't had to switch because of "HIPAA".

You don't hear the medical helicopters on anything different because of HIPAA do you?

Patient reports are still given over the HEAR frequency EVERY single day in our state by local EMS services.

When will EMSA's BS stop?

 

[fireant]

It will stop when we do away with a for profit agency being allowed to due a public service job. My opnion is let the fire run the EMS service we would get alot better service guranteed. Just my thoughts

fireant

 

[n5usr]

Huh. I guess they just did that sometime during the day yesterday? I thought things seemed rather quiet last night and this morning. They were the busiest frequency in the scanner...

Another one down... Now, if someone tells me Bethany and Warr Acres are going ProVoice or encrypted I think I'll scream!

 

[highrider8433]

I have it on good athority that that EMSTAT ER channel willsoon be going encrpited soon. The thing that I don't understand is why EMSA encripted dispatch also.

 

[KK5FM]

Since fire goes on all EMSA calls, technically you can still hear all their dispatches, right? At least to the closest fire station...

Except for that whole ProVoice thing. So instead of having 30+ devices that can hear where a medical call is, we now have significantly fewer devices.

 

[mam1081]

EMSA has switched Oklahoma City Metro area dispatch to the state trunked system.
It is all encrypted.

I find it interesting they went to the state system for all metro calls, as I belive the coverage is quite poor in some of the areas they serve compared to their UHF repeater. I am aware they have much better radios and usually use mobiles, but I find there is quite a large area to the west that isn't covered well until the Geary site kicks in...

 

[Gilligan]

Except for that whole ProVoice thing. So instead of having 30+ devices that can hear where a medical call is, we now have significantly fewer devices.

So fire alerts is now completely ProVoice?

2nd question: Are they supposed to patch to a channel 24/7 on the OKC EDACS for PD to be able to listen in or talk to them? Or is the only mutual aid channel the EMSA channel already listed on the EDACS system?

 

[KK5FM]

So fire alerts is now completely ProVoice?

2nd question: Are they supposed to patch to a channel 24/7 on the OKC EDACS for PD to be able to listen in or talk to them? Or is the only mutual aid channel the EMSA channel already listed on the EDACS system?

Answer to the first question: Fire Alert is supposed to be in ProVoice full-time.

Answer to second question: depends on who you ask, whether they have had their morning coffee, and whether any RR posts have amused them lately.

 

[Gilligan]

Answer to second question: depends on who you ask, whether they have had their morning coffee, and whether any RR posts have amused them lately.

Wow. How true is that... Oklahoma has been buzzing lately, hasn't it...

 

[KE5EHI]

It will stop when we do away with a for profit agency being allowed to due a public service job. My opnion is let the fire run the EMS service we would get alot better service guranteed. Just my thoughts

fireant

Just curious how you figure that. EMSA is a leading EMS provider in the nation (most which are private services). It seems most fire-based EMS lack the QI/QA that most large private companies have to have to stay around. Plus it's cheaper on the taxpayer since they aren't having to shell out millions to pay for equipment, personnel, etc...

Just my thought.

 

[plaws]

Just curious how you figure that. EMSA is a leading EMS provider in the nation (most which are private services).

EMSA says they are a provider but they're really an EMS Authority (hence the name) that oversees an EMS provider (Paramedics Plus LLC).

Nevertheless, calling them a "leading EMS provider in the nation" is a little much given that they only serve Tulsa, OKC, and the surrounding metros.

Having worked for EMS privateers many years ago, I'm no fan of them, but I have to note that every time that OCFD or TFD starts rumbling about taking over EMS, it's never about bidding for the service under EMSA, it's always about doing away with EMSA and their quality programs and hiking their own budgets.

Something to think about.


Here's something I didn't know about public utility model EMS: Jack Stout was at OU when he developed the idea - see http://www.emsresponder.com/print/Emergency--Medical-Services/Public-Utility-Model-EMS/1$2293

 

[FPO703]

HIPAA has NOTHING at all, whatsoever, to do with ANYTHING that goes out over the airwaves when it comes to an EMS call or the information relayed to an ER/EMS agency. HIPAA Does, however, have to do with the person't medical records, themselves. There is NOTHING in the HIPAA guidelines that mentions radio traffic with regards to patient care. It seems that EMS providers are doing with HIPAA what some governmental agencies do with a new Digital system. They believe all the BS that the salesperson tells them and they don't believe it when someone outside that world tells them otherwise.

 

[BCFD25]

Plus it's cheaper on the taxpayer since they aren't having to shell out millions to pay for equipment, personnel, etc...

Just my thought.

Whoa whoa BS

Do you think those millions of dollars a year they ask for in subsidies just come out of thin air. I aint no psychic but i see a lock for this thread in the future.

By the way, who do you think paid for those pretty new ambulances like the one you got in your avatar. It sure as hell wasnt the ambulance fairy.

 

[KE5EHI]

In an effort to avoid further hijacking of this thread, my responses can be read here.