Above All Else, Do No Harm: A Review of High Profile EMS Legal Cases

Every few weeks there are news articles published locally, regionally, and nationally about EMS encounters where the responding providers either were negligent in their provision of care or maliciously caused harm. Unfortunately, these incidents impact the public's perception of our entire industry and profession. It is incumbent on front-line clinicians and agency leaders to understand that every single call can turn into a legal nightmare if standards are not adhered to. This session will describe HealthNet Aeromedical Services' efforts to be proactively prepared for such encounters. Also, this session will discuss tools that can be used in volatile situations where litigation is a likely outcome. In this session, we will discuss real-world incidents as both cautionary tales and as learning opportunities.