LifeFlight of Maine’s Thomas Judge will serve
on Maryland’s panel of air medical experts 

Panel to review protocols for medevac transport as part of a multi-faceted response to the recent crash of a Maryland State Police helicopter 

(BALTIMORE, MD) – The State Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Board that is charged with overseeing Maryland’s emergency medical services system recently announced that a panel of national experts will review and make recommendations regarding the emergency medical protocols for the use of medevac transport of trauma patients from the scene of an incident.  In making the announcement, Chairman Donald L. DeVries, Jr., Esq., said “Maryland’s emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma system has been called a ‘model’ for the entire country, and the Expert Panel will help ensure that our EMS and trauma system continues to provide the highest quality care available.”  According to DeVries, the panel will be comprised of individuals who are highly knowledgeable and experienced in trauma, emergency medicine, public health, EMS, and use of medevac services. The first meeting of the panel is set for November 24 and 25, 2008.

Governor Martin O’Malley lauded the formation of the Expert Panel.  “Maryland’s EMS system is comprised of EMS providers, physicians, nurses, hospitals and state, local, county governments all striving for a single goal – to save the life of the critically injured patient,” he said.  “These dedicated providers will welcome the broad perspective and expert input that the Expert Panel will provide.” 

Robert R. Bass, M.D., Executive Director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), the state agency that coordinates Maryland’s EMS system under the direction of the State EMS Board, explained that the Expert Panel is a component of the response by the agency to the recent crash of a Maryland State Police helicopter which occurred during the transport of patients from an automobile crash.  He said that the members of the Expert Panel are:

• Tom Judge, CCT-P – Executive Director, LifeFlight of Maine, Bangor, ME; Past-President, Association of Air Medical Services and volunteer paramedic.
• Robert C. MacKersie, M.D. – Professor of Surgery in Residence and Director of Trauma Services, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA.
• John A. Morris, M.D.  – Professor Surgery, Director, Division of Trauma & Surgical Critical Care, Director, Trauma, Burn & LifeFlight Patient Care Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
• Ellen Mackenzie, PhD – Professor and Chair, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – Baltimore, MD.
• Stephen H. Thomas, M.D., M.P.H. – Associate Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Associate Medical Director, Boston MedFlight Boston, MA.
• Bryan Bledsoe, DO – Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Nevada School of Medicine and University Medical Center, Las Vegas NV. 
• William R. Metcalf – Chief, North County Fire Protection District, Fallbrook, CA.

Dr. Bass said, “The Expert Panel will help us continue our life-saving mission and to do it as safely, efficiently, and effectively as possible.” 

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