Concerned Dentists launch Emergency Response System to Fill Critical Vacuum of Emergency Preparedness in the Dental Office
The Institute of Medical Emergency Preparedness (IMEP), headed-up by Chris Rothman, DDS and John Roberson, DMD, has launched a practical new emergency response system to remedy the lack of training, and medical emergency preparedness that currently exists in America’s dental offices and most workplaces. The ERS has been endorsed many organizations including state dental associations across the United States. IMEP’s Emergency Response System (ERS) was created by dentists, to educate dentists and their staff, enabling them to respond calmly, quickly and confidently to emergency and crisis situations. It is an ideal solution for dental offices.
A recent article in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), vol. 135, November 2004, cites the importance of basic emergency preparedness: “Fairly basic planning, involving minimum equipment and supplies, may go a long way to protect dental staff members patients and families.”
Americans today have an unprecedented need to develop the skills and abilities necessary to calmly and confidently contend with emergency situations. We also have a heightened national awareness of the need for Professional First Responders. Yet, in the case of conventional terrorist or biomedical attacks, many of these Professional First Responders may also become the very first victims.
IMEP recognizes that the dental offices need to be trained and prepared to be the “very first first responder”, when common medical emergencies occur unexpectedly. This is important because EMS/911 response times average over 11 minutes in many urban centers and over 15 minutes in rural areas.
An investigation done by USA Today on studies in the New England Journal of Medicine found that in situations involving cardiac arrest, 11 minutes was too long and that lives are lost or saved within 6 minutes. The investigation also revealed that The Mayo Clinic found emergency treatment must be
delivered in the first 6 minutes of an incident involving cardiac arrest for lives to be saved. OSHA says treatment of a serious injury should begin within 3 to 4 minutes of an accident. The ERS is practical, easy-to-understand and highly functional, since it can quickly be taken directly to the site of the emergency and to the affected person(s). It can also be used in situations where power outages render Internet medical information systems inoperable.
“Calling 911 and waiting for help isn’t enough,” states Dr. John Roberson, CEO and co-founder of IMEP. “It’s all about speed and taking correct action in the ERS Zone when the victim is 10 Minutes To Life or Death – that ably describes the critical time period between the onset of a medical emergency and the time when the professional responder/EMS arrive. It is during this critical time frame when the “very first, first responder” – which could be the dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant or office staff – may have to act to save the life of a patient, friend, loved one or children entrusted to their care. But, to be efficient and effective during an emergency, you have to be properly educated, trained and prepared to act.”
The ERS Mission is to become the universal standard for meeting every day medical emergencies in the dental office. The ERS consists of step-by-step Emergency Action Charts & Checklist along with a comprehensive training manual in a Medical Edition, and 12 hours of CE for everyone in the dental office.
The ERS Emergency Action Guide contains easy-to-follow, step-by-step, doctor created treatment protocols that will enable dental staff and ordinary people who are trained by ERS, to address 12 common medical emergencies in that critical time window before the EMS/911 services can arrive.
Just as a fire extinguisher can buy time or help contain a fire until the fire truck arrives, the ERS Emergency Action Guide can help stabilize and treat a victim during that very critical period when you or a loved one may be may be just 10 Minutes from Life or Death. As Dr. Chris Rothman, COO and Co-Founder of IMEP says, “Why let an unfortunate event such as a medical emergency jeopardize the integrity of your practice, risk your financial freedom or compromise the life of a patient simply due to the team’s lack of preparedness. Should the unthinkable happen in your dental office – a catastrophic medical emergency – would you be able to say you did all you could? Would you be able to prove you did all you could?” Emergencies happen every day. It’s not a question of if you have a medical emergency; it’s a question of whether you will be prepared to respond when you have a medical emergency. IMEP is headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi with offices in Birmingham, Alabama and distribution in St. Louis, Missouri. Please visit the website at www.EmergencyActionGuide.com