Dorchester EMS Recognized for Excellence

Dorchester County EMS has received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) for its compliance with national standards of excellence. Dorchester County EMS is the 144th EMS agency in the country to successfully complete the voluntary review process, which included a comprehensive self study and application and an on-site review and verification by a team of national experts in emergency medical services. 

“Our staff has been key to our successful completion of the process. CAAS accreditation gives all members of the department a feeling of prestige and pride to work in an accredited service,” said Doug Warren, EMS director. Everyone in the department and many other departments along with County Council and County Administrator Jason Ward, played valuable roles in our ability to meet the Commission’s high standards. We have achieved accreditation. This achievement is one part of our department’s continued commitment to excellence.” 

The Commission, established in 1990, is a non-profit organization designed to encourage and promote quality patient care in America’s EMS system. The primary focus of the Commission’s standards is high quality patient care. This is accomplished by establishing national standards which not only address the delivery of patient care, but also the EMS agency’s total operation, its relationships with other agencies, the community at large, and the medical community. The Commission’s standards often exceed state or local requirements. 

For Dorchester County EMS, this “journey to excellence” began in the summer of 2006. This “journey” involved a top to bottom review of every aspect of its operation. Policies were established to formalize procedures that we in place and new policies and procedures were put into practice to comply with CAAS standards. Every member of the department embraced the process and the necessary changes. The on-site review team, which consisted of an EMS physician and two experienced EMS administrators from accredited agencies, were complimentary of the success of Dorchester County EMS and all said that they would be proud to work for this agency.

“Accreditation represents Dorchester County’s firm commitment to our patients and community. The EMS department continuously strives to do its best and we view accreditation as another step towards excellence,"Dorchester County Chairman Larry Hargett said.

County administrator also weighed in on the agency's hardwork.

“This is a culmination of a lot of hard work on the part of EMS leadership and staff, and the commitment that County Council made to improve public safety," Ward said.