Category: Missouri Progress- Bill Passed -May, 2017

SB503 – Allows for Regional Medical Directors to set protocols for those with special medical needs and for paramedics to administer patient carried specialty meds! (It also provides the needed liability protection for our Medical Directors and Paramedics along with other important EMS related issues.

BACKGROUND:
2015- Make correct contacts on the state level and prove real need and gap in coverage.
2016- Attend meetings and assist with developing a good plan for solving the issue.  Original legislation was drafted late in session and didn’t move.  Remainder of year spent perfecting that legislation and spreading awareness of the issue.   Early Filing of HB226 by Rep. Hubrecht in Nov. set us up for success.
2017- January -Started strong with a lunch at the Capitol, followed by personally visiting each office and delivering packets of support documents:  Fact Sheets, Data of types and numbers affected, Organization and Individual letters of support, etc.
Visits, phone calls and emails were consistent with legislators and testifying at 2 Committee Hearings along with attending State EMS Day at the Capitol which all secured support of the Bill.
We owe a huge thanks to Rep. Lauer, Sen Hegeman, and Sen. Munzlinger for filing or amending the language onto their Bills and working so hard to see it through.   We also sincerely thank the other legislators who co-sponsored and help support this important legislation!

Our local News channel, KFVS-12, aired an update to the original story of March 2, 2015.  We are so pleased to have their help in raising awareness about the changes happening in Missouri.

KFVS12 – News Update

{Please note a couple errors in the story.  MO is the 2nd state to make efforts to change their protocols.  New York was the first with protocol changes for Bleeding Disorders.  (48 more to go)   —  Should have said “when families can’t administer the meds, the person has to be transported to one of the hospitals in St. Louis or Kansas City.}