The core content of emergency medical services medicine.

On September 23, 2010, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) approved emergency medical services (EMS) as a subspecialty of emergency medicine. As a result, the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) is planning to award the first certificates in EMS medicine in the fall of 2013. The purpose of subspecialty certification in EMS, as defined by ABEM, is to standardize physician training and qualifications for EMS practice, to improve patient safety and enhance the quality of emergency medical care provided to patients in the prehospital environment, and to facilitate integration of prehospital patient treatment into the continuum of patient care.

The role of state medical direction in the comprehensive emergency medical services system: a resource document.

Medical oversight is a fundamental component of every emergency medical services (EMS) system. The quality of physician medical direction has a significant impact upon the system and patient outcome. The lead agency for the state EMS system is a principal facet of our emergency care system, and the state EMS medical director is a vital component within this comprehensive network.