A Team of Two: EMS And Epidemiology

“What’s an epidemiologist?” is usually the first question I get asked when people inquire about my career. If someone happens to know what an epidemiologist is, they usually ask if I work with viruses like Ebola or the flu. They might even reference a few movies like Outbreak, Contagion, or World War Z. I must admit, I wouldn’t mind single-handedly saving the world from a rare and horrific disease, but in the real world, epidemiology is a little less glamorous. Epidemiology is “the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems”1 When looking at epidemiology through the lens of EMS, these health-related states can include illness, traumatic injuries, violence, and even environmental exposures. As an epidemiologist, one of my goals is to use EMS data to identify risk factors and help lessen the impact of the above-mentioned health issues. For the foreseeable future, we aren’t capable of eliminating the burdens of disease or injury; however, there’s always room for improvement. History Lesson Some of you may be familiar with the name John Snow, and I’m not talking about the dashingly handsome character from the HBO TV epic Game of Thrones. I’m referring to the John Snow who's known as the “father of epidemiology.” Snow was a London anesthesiologist by trade in 1854, but is most famously known for his work during a cholera outb...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Documentation & Patient Care Reporting Source Type: news