The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) Accredits Seven Agencies in March

At their March 16, 2005, meeting, the CAAS Panel of Commissioners granted accreditation to REMSA of Reno, Nevada, and Cherokee Nation EMS of Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

March 23, 2005 - At their March 16, 2005, meeting, the CAAS Panel of Commissioners granted accreditation to REMSA of Reno, Nevada, and Cherokee Nation EMS of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Reaccrediting agencies included: WestCare EMS of Sylva, North Carolina; Rockford Ambulance, Inc., of Rockford, Michigan; Rural/Metro Medical Services of Western NY of Buffalo, New York; Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (HEMSI) of Huntsville, Alabama; and CARE Ambulance Service, Inc. of Orange, California.

Cherokee Nation EMS is the first Tribal Nation agency to receive CAAS accreditation. Ginger Glory, RN, Quality Improvement Coordinator for Cherokee Nation Health Services and CAAS Coordinator commented, “Our CAAS experience will have a lasting impression for many years to come. We can’t say enough great things about your reviewers. They were interested in us—the Cherokee’s, not just our service. They saw our backbone and compassion. It was nice to hear that. Prior to the on-site review, our CAAS team met to talk about our experiences up to that point. Everyone conveyed that they were pleased we had gone through this process and that Cherokee Nation EMS is a better service for having done so.”

REMSA’s CAAS Coordinator, Jane Miller, VP, Special Projects, concurred that the CAAS on-site review is a good experience, noting: “REMSA appreciated the reviewers’ flexibility during Reno’s history-making snow blizzard! They sensed what we were going through and were understanding and accommodating.”

Agencies wishing to learn more about the CAAS accreditation process are invited to check the web site at www.caas.org or write to CAAS, 1926 Waukegan Road, Suite 1, Glenview, IL 60025. Applicants and reaccrediting agencies can reach the CAAS Helpline by calling 1-866-964-2227 toll free or by e-mailing sarahm@tcag.com.