Welcome to the second issue of EMS on the Hill, a newsletter representing the work of a broad group of EMS organizations dedicated to achieving positive change and recognition for emergency medical services at the state and federal levels. In July 2007, this group of organizations met to review the recommendations of the 2006 IOM Crossroads report and develop priorities and action items to help make these recommendations reality. This newsletter will provide updates on those action items, plus discuss other critical industry issues.

MOVING FORWARD IN 2008

With the new year come new opportunities for the betterment of emergency medical care in the U.S. One of the biggest is the chance to make progress in implementing recommendations made in the Institute of Medicine's 2006 Emergency Medical Services at the Crossroads report.

As reported in the last issue of EMS On the Hill, top EMS leaders gathered in Washington, DC, last summer to discuss ways to advance the IOM's comprehensive agenda for improving America's EMS systems. Participants from the nation's leading EMS organizations agreed on priority areas and general steps to take, then took them home for assessment by their groups and integration into their agendas. They'll be goals for 2008 and beyond. No one is expecting landmark leaps forward overnight, of course, but there's now a consensus effort among the major players for moving these ideas forward.

One initial challenge lies in an uncertain electoral landscape. Much of what needs to happen needs to happen legislatively, and with the 2008 elections approaching, EMS concerns--especially ones that would cost money-- are generally not priorities for lawmakers. (Note to EMS readers: Anyone want to work to change that?) But there is a potentially major federal resource coming on the administrative side: a 26-member National EMS Advisory Council that will make recommendations to NHTSA's Offi ce of EMS (OEMS). Its membership, expected to be announced soon, will include a wide range of EMS stakeholders who will help inform the OEMS' work. "The NEMSAC establishes a formal method for obtaining input and advice from the nation's EMS community," NHTSA of- fi cials said in announcing the panel's creation in 2006.