Use of Emergency Medical Services Personnel in Public Health Immunization
Clinics
With the outbreak of 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) virus,
local public health departments (LPHDs) have been encouraged to use
resources such as local
EMS
personnel to participate in the vaccination process.
EMS
services and individual providers will be able to assist local public health
departments with vaccinations for both the Seasonal Flu and the 2009
Influenza A (H1N1) virus using specific parameters.
Liability protection for administering
Influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccines is provided by the federal Public
Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act (details below).
The Secretary of the Department of Health
and Human Services has declared a public health emergency and has enacted
the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act as a result of
the outbreak of novel Influenza A (H1N1) 2009. The Secretary has included
novel H1N1 vaccines as a covered countermeasure under the PREP Act. This
provides immunity from tort liability (except for willful misconduct) for
claims of loss, caused arising out of, relating to, or resulting from
administration or use of covered countermeasures. The PREP Act provides
liability immunity to licensed health professionals or other individuals who
are authorized to prescribe, administer, or dispense covered countermeasures
under the law of the State. Therefore it is essential that EMS agencies and
personnel work closely with their medical director and the tribal health
director or local health officer.
There are two ways that a tribal or local
public health agency may partner with EMS personnel to assist with the
administration of the Influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccines. They are as
follows:
-
The EMS service director (or medical
director) may coordinate with the tribal or local public health agency
to use the EMS service resources, including personnel and vehicles. The
EMS personnel would function under the EMS service’s medical direction
to participate in the administration of Influenza A (H1N1) monovalent
vaccine. EMS agencies will need to update their Operation Plan, and
adopt the Wisconsin EMS protocol and procedure for vaccinations
available below. In addition to their
protocol and procedure EMS personnel will need to follow all public
health guidelines. In this scenario, the authority for the Paramedic or
EMT to vaccinate is shared between the EMS agency, and the tribal or
local public health agency.
-
The tribal or local public health
agency may request and use volunteers or paid contract employees to
assist in the administration of Influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccines
as part of their local practices, and/or in accordance with the local
Public Health Emergency Plan or Mass Clinic Plan. Individual
Paramedics and EMTs may volunteer or be paid as a contract employee to
assist the tribal or local public health agency with these wisconsin.gov
vaccinations. The Paramedics and/or EMTs would be working under
the immediate direction of the tribal or local public health agency and
can be provided with ‘Just in Time’ training, as appropriate. It is
the responsibility of the tribal or local public health agency to verify
the Paramedics’ and/or EMTs’ skill level and ability to administer
vaccine. When an individual Paramedic or EMT is acting in this capacity,
he/she would not be working under his/her EMS license, as he/she is not
acting in conjunction with a recognized EMS agency or medical director
at that point in time. In this scenario the Paramedic or EMT is a
volunteer or paid contract employee. Authority to vaccinate is from the
tribal or local public health agency.
The 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine will only be
available for administration to local public health departments and
registered clinical sites (such as hospitals and clinics) and will be
distributed to these agencies through the Wisconsin Department of Health
Services.
Seasonal Flu
vaccinations should also be administered in cooperation with the local public
health department.
In order to receive approval for vaccination
administration, each service will need to complete and submit all
appropriate "Medical Guideline and Procedure" documents below:
Submit
completed Guidelines and Procedures to the appropriate Program Coordinator
at EMS Unit, PO Box 2659, Madison, WI 53701-2659 prior to
deployment of this program by the EMS service.
Other
related documents that you will need to have available for use and
dissemination (per above Medical Guidelines and Procedures) include:
Training
resources:
Other
influenza resources for EMS providers include:
For
further information contact
Fred Hornby.
All external hyperlinks are provided for your
information and for the benefit of the general public. The
Department of Health Services does not testify to,
sponsor, or endorse the accuracy of the information provided on
externally linked pages.
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Last Revised:
April 16, 2012
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