Consider for a moment the current state of ‘healthcare’ in your country. Does it represent a system based in wellness, prevention, and primary care, or is it principally based upon acute care? Are there enough providers to ensure that the population has the necessary access to health care? Are all providers operating at their fullest capacity and extent of their capability? Is there a high level of coordination and communication between providers at all levels and access points to ensure that patients are provided the timeliest, most efficient and effective interventions based on their full medical presentation? Is the future of this system solely dependent upon resources within your country? Finally, how do paramedics and other emergency medical providers integrate into the healthcare system and contribute to the health of your nation and the global community?
Now consider the future of healthcare. What role should paramedics and emergency medical responders play? Should they be recognized as medical professionals? Is there a need and desire to create a global collaborative to ensure that our future meets the ever changing and growing needs of the public and of providers?
The provision of emergency medical care is going through continuous transformation in countries all around the world. Patient and healthcare system needs are becoming more and more complex and paramedics and other emergency medical responders are being called on to meet these needs and in innovative ways. There are exciting and highly effective models where paramedics are serving as liaisons to primary care and responding to medical needs before a crisis occurs. Universities are building advanced curricula for the future education of emergency medical providers, researchers are investigating these models, and patients are demanding the highest levels of quality service from their healthcare delivery system.
Faced with these demands and opportunities, an international group representing broadly diverse systems and with a global perspective on emergency medical response systems proposes a platform for discussing, developing, and promoting education and practice standards. The group worked to articulate a vision of achieving the advancement of emergency medical care, a goal that will benefit all participants. The group envisions achieving a valued presence within organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization and other global organizations to collaborate on a wide range of issues. This is the concept behind International Paramedic, an organization designed to build synergies among current and future emergency medical responders and existing interest groups in order to become an effective and trusted global voice of the profession of paramedic practice, never forgetting the people we serve.