REMSA SCORES HIGH IN INDEPENDENT NATIONAL STUDY

System Compares Favorably Among 15 High Performance Systems

May 22, 2002 – REMSA, the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority, has scored at the top of a comprehensive national study comparing more than three-dozen evaluation criteria. The review was conducted by an independent national expert in emergency medical services.

In the national market review, REMSA was compared to 14 other high performance systems throughout the country. No other emergency medical service outscored REMSA and one other tied for the top position achieving 39 out of 41 benchmarks defining high performance systems.

“The type of data requested of each system was comprehensive. It speaks to a system’s quality and management that they can even provide the data we requested for the review, so this is really a review of the best of the best,” said Dr. Jay Fitch, author of the national study. “This community should be proud to know that REMSA performs in a superior manner when compared to the other systems.”

The study, released in a presentation today to the District Board of Health, measured REMSA in three main categories: Clinical, Response Times and Economic Value. Highlights of the study are attached in the executive summary of the report.

REMSA board of directors chairman, Dick Barnard, said of the report, “This study is strong validation for the progressive efforts taken by REMSA over the last decade to make ours a world-class emergency medical services provider.”

The REMSA board of directors requested the study from Fitch & Associates, LLC to determine REMSA’s value to the community given the current quality, service and pricing.

Fitch & Associates considered over 50 separate elements in similarly designed systems as well as systems using other delivery models than REMSA. The survey determined the REMSA board would be better served by extending the current service delivery arrangement and continuing to benchmark its performance in the future against other high performing systems.

“This study recognizes the wonderful emergency medical services provided to the community through the expertise our people deliver every day,” said Patrick Smith, president of REMSA. “We have a culture at REMSA that constantly perpetuates innovation, change and improvements in the levels of service to our patients. REMSA’s philosophy encourages individual and collective excellence. We would not have accomplished what we have here without the people, the culture, and the dedication to high quality patient care and service to the community.

Few systems nationwide are capable of providing detailed performance information for emergency medical systems benchmarking purposes. Clinical results showed REMSA met the five crucial clinical service elements of accountability, functional external oversight, full activity based cost recognition, systems features to ensure economic efficiency and performance sustainability. In addition, REMSA was one of five communication centers to have received the Accredited Center of Excellence and REMSA is one of two systems out of the 15 to require actual medical certification for communications center personnel. REMSA’s medical 9-1-1 communications center received international accreditation last year from the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch, the 54th entity in the world to receive such accreditation and the only accredited emergency medical systems dispatch in Nevada.

In response time results, REMSA achieved a significant 93% response time performance and continues to maintain a more stringent emergency response time at 8 minutes 29 seconds in a fast growing community compared to 13 out of 15 systems.

REMSA is one of only six systems out of 15 that does not receive any tax subsidy. REMSA’s per capita cost is 14 percent below the mean, and its unit hour and other productivity costs approximate the mean of all systems measured.

“REMSA met or exceeded the qualifications typically present in a high performance system and the market study clearly supports the continuation of the current ambulance service.” Barnard said. “This study demonstrates the system in place in Reno is a clear winner for every resident and visitor we have the opportunity to serve.”

A copy of the full market study is available for any media members interested in receiving the information.

REMSA is a community based non-profit organization providing the region with Advanced Life Support Paramedic ambulance services, the Care Flight emergency helicopter program, and emergency medical dispatch services. Additionally, REMSA provides patient care with no taxpayer support or other subsidies.

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