.png)
Press Release: EMS Medical Advisor
CENTER FOR PATIENT SAFETY WELCOMES EMS MEDICAL ADVISOR
Brian Froelke, M.D., is named first EMS Medical Advisor at the Center for Patient Safety.
Jefferson City, Mo. – The Center for Patient Safety (CPS) announced that Brian Froelke, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named the center’s first Emergency Medical Services Medical Advisor. CPS is a national organization, based in Missouri, dedicated to promoting healthcare safety through a reduction in medical errors.
For more than 10 years, CPS has worked to improve safety for both patients and healthcare providers by fostering a culture that encourages healthcare workers to quickly report medical errors so they can be quickly addressed and prevented in the future. CPS was also one of the first organizations in the nation to be certified as a Patient Safety Organization (PSO), which offers federal confidentiality protections to healthcare workers for reporting medical errors. Additionally, CPS was the first in the nation to provide EMS PSO services, including sharing and learning opportunities with EMS providers based, in part, on the collection of data on adverse events.
“Onboarding an EMS Medical Advisor is a logical next step, and Dr. Froelke is an obvious first choice for this position. He has long been involved with CPS and is a recognized EMS leader with a passion for patient safety,” said Alex Christgen, Executive Director of CPS. “We are delighted that he is joining CPS in a voluntary role as Medical Advisor to our EMS services.”
EMS, as a profession, is called to change in light of new laws and a healthcare system that is placing more emphasis on patient safety improvements. To meet new expectations, the advancement of safety in EMS must be a focal point of leadership across the nation.
Dr. Froelke, an assistant professor of emergency medicine, is board-certified in emergency medicine and emergency medicine EMS. As EMS Medical Advisor, he will engage leadership and support CPS by conducting activities and supporting programs that improve and promote patient safety efforts nationally and internationally among air and ground medical transport services. He also will advise the CPS team on current and long-term safety objectives as well as provide education and awareness opportunities among the EMS healthcare community.
Dr. Froelke noted, “The Center for Patient Safety is a national leader in the field of EMS, and I look forward to working with this group to improve the culture of safety for patients and healthcare providers. The participation of the center’s member EMS agencies and medical directors is a key step toward improving our systems and reducing preventable medical errors. Analysis of data on adverse events has already lead to real-world solutions and initiatives that have improved patient care. I believe this partnership, with the support of an academic medical center like Washington University School of Medicine, will strengthen these endeavors.”
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Froelke,” said Lee Varner, Patient Safety Director at CPS. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his diverse background in EMS including many roles and projects that have spanned the regional, state and national level. Dr. Froelke’s experience, coupled with his desire to improve EMS patient safety, will add an exciting level of expertise to the CPS team.