North Region Medical Program Directors (MPDs)

The Roles of MPDs in Local and Regional Systems of Care

As Medical Program Directors you play a very important role in the EMS and Trauma Care System in Washington.  You provide highly valued guidance and leadership to agencies and individual providers in your counties.  Your medical protocols set high standards for prehospital care.  You work collaboratively as a body of physicians to develop new approaches to prehospital care that keep Washington State in the forefront of the delivery of emergency medical services.

Another very important MPD role, identified in WAC, is the involvement in regional system planning and particularly the development of Regional EMS and Trauma Care System Plans.  As MPDs you know what is needed and what will work within your county prehospital systems.  You have the opportunity to work with other MPDs within a regional system to ensure that the regional plan objectives and strategies reflect prehospital work that is vital across a regional system and are aligned with the Washington State EMS and Trauma System Strategic Plan, which you helped create.  Reginal EMS and Trauma Care Councils want and need your expert input and leadership and are eager to find constructive ways to involve you in helping to participate in planning your regional systems of care.

RAC and WAC references to MPD opportunities for involvement in regional system planning follow:
 

WAC-246-976-920

• (1) Medical Program Directors must:
  • (f) Participate with local and Regional EMS/TC Councils to develop and revise regional plans and make timely recommendation to the regional council.

WAC-246-976-960

• (1) In addition to meeting the requirement of chapter 70.168 RCW and elsewhere in the chapter, Regional EMS/TC Councils must:
  • (b) Develop and submit to the department Regional EMS/TC plans to:

            (iii) Describe how the roles and responsibilities of the MPD are coordinated with those of the Regional EMS/TC Council and the regional plan.

WAC-246-976-970

• (2) In addition to meeting the requirement of chapter 70.168 RCW and this chapter, local EMS/TC Councils must:
  • (a) Participate with the MPD and emergency communication centers in making recommendation to the regional council about the development of regional patient care procedures.

Regional PCPs are part of Regional EMS and Trauma Care System Strategic Plans. (RCW 18.73.030 Definitions (12): Regional PCPs are written operating guidelines adopted by regional EMS/TC councils in consultation with local EMS/TC Councils, emergency communication centers, and the MPD in accordance with state-wide minimum standard). 

Patient Care Procedures