CAAS Newsletter – Fall 2017

Recent CAAS Accreditations 

In August, the CAAS Panel of Commissioners granted new CAAS accreditation to four agencies:

• Endeavor Emergency Squad, Inc. (Burlington, NJ)
• North Memorial Health Ambulance Service (Brooklyn Center, MN)
• North Ridgeville Fire Department (North Ridgeville, OH)
• River Medical, Inc. (Lake Havasu City, AZ)

Additionally, the following four agencies were granted re-accreditation:

• Centre LifeLink EMS (State College, PA)
• Life Line Ambulance (Prescott, AZ)
• Northeast Regional Ambulance (Middleton, MA)
• Siouxland Paramedics (Sioux City, IA)

Congratulations to all our initial and re-accrediting agencies for a job well done!  See the complete list of CAAS Accredited Agencies.

Prepare for CAAS Accreditation – Education Opportunities

In-Person Seminar (November 12, Las Vegas, NV)
This full-day seminar, held in conjunction with the AAA Annual Meeting and Trade show is the ideal forum to assist you in planning for your accreditation or re-accreditation using the CAAS Gold Standards. It provides a detailed overview of the application process and clearly defines what can be expected throughout. Faculty will address the benefits and value of accreditation and identify ways in which you can increase operational and clinical performance, reduce risk and liability, and maximize your market potential as a result. The version 3.0 standards will be explained in detail as well as the paperless submission process. The interactive format provides an opportunity to share ideas and best practices and receive expert answers to important questions. Course books and materials are included in the registration fee.

Learn More about In-Person Seminar

Online, On-Demand Seminar Available

Covering the same material from the full-day in-person seminar, this three-part on-demand webinar series (5.5 hours of education) will explain all aspects of the CAAS Standards and the application process.

Learn How To:

•   Plan and budget for accreditation
•   Recognize and maximize the value of accreditation for your organization
•   Motivate staff for accreditation
•   Understand and apply CAAS standards to your organization
•   Prepare your application
•   Develop application documentation
•   Learn how to use the paperless submission process

Bonus Offer
Registration to either the In-Person or Online Seminar entitles you to a copy of the CAAS Standards ($30 value), the CAAS Application ($125 value) and access to CAAS’s OnDemand Webinar Series ($250 value).

Learn More about Online Seminar

ASK CAAS… Answers Are Within Reach

ASK CAAS is a great resource for all your CAAS-related questions. Whether you are seeking general information or have a specific question, a CAAS staff member stands ready to assist you. Want to know more about the accreditation process? Are you the new CAAS coordinator now responsible for submitting the CAAS renewal application? Do you have a question about a specific standard?

Here are some fun facts about Ask CAAS:

• Nearly 60% of all ASK CAAS questions relate to one or more of the 107 CAAS Standards.
• The most frequest question received: Is CAAS Standards Version 3.0 the most recent version? Yes, CAAS Version 3.0 is the latest version and was last revised in 2009.
• Average time to receive a response – one business day.

ASK CAAS is available on the CAAS website.

CAAS Grant Program Deadline Fast Approaching

Earlier this summer, CAAS announced the continuation of its accreditation grant program. As part of an effort to make accreditation more accessible and affordable to qualified agencies, CAAS will be offering limited grant funding toward the accreditation application fees.  The CAAS grant funding will cover the application fee for accepted agencies, in an effort to reduce the financial impact of initial accreditation.  Agencies interested in the grant process must submit a completed grant application to CAAS on or before Friday, September 29, 2017.  Click here for complete details and application.

Rethinking Remounts – Developing a national standard for ambulance remounts

We are pleased to share with you some of the latest developments with the CAAS GVS Remount Standard project.

Rethinking Remounts is an excellent article from the August 2017 issue of JEMS that outlines some of the most important details of CAAS’s June Remount Forum in Charlotte.

In addition, a Work Group was established through a volunteer application process this summer and begin their efforts with their first meeting in September.

CAAS Seeks EMS Medical Directors as Site Reviewers

CAAS is currently seeking active EMS Medical Directors interested in serving as CAAS site reviewers.  If you know of a physician that might be interested in becoming a site reviewer, please contact the CAAS office at 847-657-6828 for additional information and application details.

Stay Up to Date with CAAS Via Social Networking

Have you visited any of our social media networking sites yet?  CAAS is active on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  Check in daily for the latest updates and announcements about CAAS and our accredited agencies.  Get advanced notice of upcoming seminars, events and webinar sessions.  Share some of your photos and accomplishments with others, and join in on discussions related to CAAS accreditation.  Visit our sites and share with others to help us grow!
Upcoming meetings for CAAS
CAAS will be attending and/or exhibiting at these upcoming meetings – please plan to stop by our exhibit booth.