Mohawk Ambulance Service Participating in NYS Pilot Demonstration Program for Syringe Epinephrine Kits to Replace Epinephrine Auto-Injectors

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Mohawk Ambulance Service announces its participation in the New York State Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (SEMAC) and the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems’ “Check & Inject NY” Pilot Demonstration Program for the replacement of Epinephrine Auto Injectors.

An EpiPen® is the most common type of an emergency auto-injection device used to treat anaphylactic shock and severe allergic reactions. Over the last 12 years, the cost of an EpiPen has risen from $35 to more than $450 per pen. This has resulted in tremendous cost increases for emergency medical service agencies, to stock this potentially life-saving, though infrequently used, device. Mohawk Ambulance Service carries four EpiPens in every ambulance, two in the adult dosage and two in the pediatric dosage at a cost of approximately $1800 per ambulance.

In an effort to reduce this expense while Captureertefgtsfmaintaining operational readiness, Mohawk Ambulance Service is participating in New York State’s “Check & Inject NY” demonstration project. The project, which is coordinated through the University of Rochester Medical Center, was launched through the extensive efforts of Dr. Michael Dailey, chief, Division of Prehospital and Operational Medicine and associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Albany Medical College.

“The ‘Check & Inject NY’ program is modeled on a very successful program implemented in Washington State. Based on their experiences, we expect that in New York our care for potentially ill anaphylaxis, patients with severe allergic reactions, will improve,” said Dr. Dailey. “Cost savings with very strict medical oversight is instrumental in continuing to advance the care for our EMS patients in New York. Mohawk Ambulance Service educators were a key to building this program and we are excited to have them as a partner.”

Through the project, Mohawk Ambulance Service and more than 400 other agencies statewide have purchased Syringe Epinephrine Kits (SEK) which contain a vial of epinephrine and a specially designed syringe with adult and pediatric dose gradations clearly marked. These kits, combined with a training program, will allow ambulance service providers to replace the EpiPens. All Mohawk Ambulance Service EMTs have received additional training to participate in the program.

“We appreciate New York State and the physicians on the SEMAC for recognizing the challenge the cost of EpiPens presented and providing this project to address the issue,” said James P. McPartlon III, president, Mohawk Ambulance Service. “The kit makes it very clear for staff to provide the correct dose of the medication to patients and the training has helped us to easily integrate these devices into our scope of practice.”

 

Mohawk Ambulance Service Updates Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Equipped Ambulance

ALBANY, N.Y. – Mohawk Ambulance Service has updated its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) ambulance which is operated in conjunction with staff from Albany Medical Center. With a coverage range of 25 counties in New York and Western Massachusetts, the ambulance responded to its first call on April 6, 2016 and has since responded to more than 100 calls involving child and infant patients. “Ambulance 33” is the fifth ambulance purchased as part of a long-running collaborative project between Mohawk Ambulance Service and the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center.

The ambulance is equipped with a diesel engine and spacious interiors, which allows Albany Medical Center staff to more easily maneuver when treating patients. A Stealth Power smart-electric power system provides power to Albany Medical Center’s intricate on-board life support apparatuses, two medical grade air compressors to power breathing ventilators, and oxygen capacity to provide high-flow oxygen to a patient for nearly 24 hours. This system allows crews to turn off their engine while maintaining access to the power supply for up to six hours, in turn, reducing emissions.

“This ambulance offers sophisticated NICU 33emergency care to our youngest patients when minutes matter most,” said David Clark, M.D., director of the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center. “With the latest electrical, medical and mechanical equipment, Mohawk Ambulance underscores its commitment to safely transporting the critically ill and injured babies and children of our region.”

Albany Medical Center’s transport teams consist of specially trained nurses and respiratory therapists. These medical professionals travel with Mohawk Ambulance crew members to other hospitals within Albany Medical Center’s service area to pick up and transport critically ill young patients who require advanced care at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center.

“The technology and equipment used to save lives changes frequently and we must constantly invest in our company’s fleet and the equipment our professionals use to provide the highest quality of emergency medical care to the patients we serve,” said James P. McPartlon, III, president, Mohawk Ambulance Service. “We are committed to saving lives and we will dedicate the resources necessary to provide the highest quality care and treatment to those who need and utilize our services.”

Other features of the ambulance include a slide-out electric-hydraulic lift to assist in loading and unloading, an air-ride suspension system to provide a gentler ride and chains that can be added to the tires with the flip of a switch in the event of inclement weather.

About the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center:
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center is a 56-bassinet unit that serves as a Level IV referral center for a 25-county service area, providing the highest level of treatment for neonates as part of the Regional Perinatal Center. The 19-room pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is the only one of its kind in the region.