Derry Fire DepartmentDerry Fire Department is a CAAS accredited municipal fire department in Derry, New Hampshire. Derry Fire Department Leadership: Location: Key Statistics: CAAS Q&A - November 2008Q. What are the most important improvements your agency has made in the past year?A. Our improvements include:
Q. What financial benefits have you seen to accrediting with CAAS?A. The Derry Fire Department currently bills for medical transports and the services related to those transports. CAAS Accreditation required the Derry Fire Department to comply with more than fifty sets of business and medical standards. The Town of Derry has developed an EMS financial management program including numerous financial policies, budgeting and financial statements, billing and accounts receivable. The Director of EMS, as well as the Town of Derry’s Finance Department, work closely with a third party billing agency. The revenues from those services offset the potential taxes for the operating expenses for the Town of Derry. As a direct result of our compliance of CAAS Standards, EMS revenues for the Town of Derry Fire Department are amongst the highest in our region. Higher returns in EMS revenues offset the costs associated with maintaining CAAS Accreditation. Q. Has accreditation led to a decrease in employee turnover either at the lower levels or management levels?A. Our turnover rate is very low. The Department reviews hundreds of applications for open positions. EMS providers in our region aspire for the opportunity to be a member of our team. The average Derry Fire Paramedic has in excess of 10 years experience with the top 5 having over 25 years experience. Many Department Officers maintain their Paramedic certification after being promoted. This allows the Department to put multiple paramedics on the scene of high priority calls. Less experienced EMS provider’s benefit as well by having the opportunity to be mentored by seasoned veterans of EMS. Meeting the CAAS Standard insures our employees are appropriately cared for. Q. Have your employees noted other improvements in their work as a result of accreditation?A. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and Customer Satisfaction surveys were both developed as a direct result of the accreditation process. Derry Fire EMS providers, as well as their officers, receive continuous feedback from our CQI Committee on patient care documentation, best practices, patient outcomes, as well as the appropriateness of patient care provided. EMS providers also receive feedback from our customers after our staff obtains a Customer Satisfaction Survey. Feedback is provided to our staff when service is provided above expectations or when remediation and/or educational opportunities are identified. Q. Do you feel you provide better patient care as an accredited agency and in what areas? A. Clinically, the Derry Fire Department provides what we consider to be the “gold standard of prehospital care”. CAAS Accreditation requires compliance with more than fifty sets of business and medical standards. CAAS compliance requires documented, measurable clinical standards, including active medical oversight in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), patient care, educational programs, clinical protocol development, staffing and dispatch models. CAAS Accreditation standards promote best practices in patient care and customer service. Q. What aspects of accreditation led to these clinical improvements?A. Compliance with CAAS Accreditation standards help develop our CQI program. Peer driven CQI with active involvement from our Medical Director ensures the highest level of care is being provided. State of New Hampshire EMS laws require New Hampshire EMS agencies to provide quality assurance either by strict rules written into state law or by the EMS agency becoming CAAS accredited. CAAS accreditation standards exceed both local and state requirements. Q. What other benefits has management noted following accreditation?A. The process of becoming accredited included a comprehensive self-assessment and an independent outside review of the entire EMS operation. This independent process provided verification to our Town Council, our medical community and most importantly, our citizens that the quality of emergency services provided by the Derry Fire Department is cost effective and of the highest possible standard. Q. What advice would you give other agencies that are considering or on the fence about CAAS accreditation?A. The end will justify the means; completing the application and document checklist takes time and energy. I truly believe we are a better organization as a result of our commitment to completing the CAAS accreditation process. Our advice for success is simple - get a solid commitment from your department, medical resource hospital and community leaders. Establish a plan, assemble a team, delegate responsibilities, have document submission time lines and start the accreditation process. Seek assistance and advice from other CAAS accredited organizations in your region. Q. For an agency that is just about ready for their first on-site review, what words of advise would you share?A. Make sure your day to day operation follows rules and regulations as outlined in your document submittals. Set forth structured training cycles with all employees and staff to review your standard Operating Guidelines, Administrative Regulations and EMS Protocols. The CAAS site review team that visited our department was just awesome, knowledgeable, experienced and professional. The CAAS application and support materials had already been submitted and we were excited to showcase our department, our staff and the many people who worked on the application and submittals. Q. How has CAAS accreditation affected your risk management/ loss prevention efforts? A. CAAS Accreditation standards require agencies to implement and provide for safe operations limiting risk to both first responders and the public. Our risk management programs include:
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CAAS Announces New Electronic Paperless Application Submission Process
