Critically ill and injured patients require specialized transport capabilities that are not routinely offered by most ambulance companies. As regionalization and specialization of critical care becomes more common, transportation of critically ill and injured patients must be refined.
Since 2007, Acadian Ambulance Services’ Critical Care Transport program has provided a higher level of care in order to meet this need, and to increase patient safety for critically ill and injured being transported from hospital to hospital.
Acadian’s Critical Care Transport units are equipped and staffed to nearly recreate the intensive care environment. Staffing includes a critical care transport paramedic and a specially equipped unit with expanded medication inventories, a transport ventilator, and other improved capabilities to meet the needs of the critically ill and injured.
Critical care transport paramedics undergo additional training through the National EMS Academy. Due to the fast growing expansion of Acadian in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, NEMSA has created a new online course that will expand course hours, and paramedic participation while reducing travel time for out of state medical professionals.
“We are very excited about this new progression,” said Chris Mixon, NEMSA development editor. “This CECBEMS accredited course will be delivered to paramedics in a virtual, real time setting with our critical care experts, making it more convenient for our medics to become CCT trained. The participants will still have hands on skills training, but with online lectures, assignments and high stakes testing.”
Acadian Associate Medical Director and Acadian Critical Care Instructor Dr. Rosemary St. Clergy is positive about the course advancement. “Medicine is evolving and more critical patients are needed to be transferred,” stated St. Clergy. “Along with Air Med, Acadian Ambulance has over 60 critical care units and that number will only continue to grow as the company expands. The new structured and integrated virtual program will reach a larger spectrum and create better and highly trained CCT paramedics.”
The Acadian CCT units provide pre-hospital advanced life support in Acadian’s areas of operation. The CCT units are staffed round the clock, and available to take calls during high volume periods, when not scheduled for a critical care transport assignment.
Critical care paramedics are trained to provide the highest level of pre-hospital care possible. In order to remain current, CCT providers require constant continuing education and hands-on training. In addition to the 72 hours of education and skills verification needed biannually to maintain certification as a Paramedic, the critical care provider must also complete additional training hours and skills sessions with the CCT medical director to maintain their CCT Paramedic status.
“CCT training takes my knowledge of patient care to a whole new level,” said Ben Albert, EMT-Paramedic. “I can advance my knowledge and involvement while staying in a practice I love.”
Acadian Ambulance is committed to their patients and their communities. They are an emergency and non-emergency medical transportation provider to Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.
Since 1971, Acadian has provided the highest level of emergency medical care and transportation possible. In the past decade, the company has expanded to include a diverse suite of services in health, safety, and transportation. Acadian’s six divisions are Acadian Ambulance Service, Acadian Monitoring Services, Air Med, Executive Aircraft Charter Service, National EMS Academy and Safety Management Systems.
