DC FEMS Medical Director writes brutal resignation letter

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medicsb

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Beautifully put, and I'm glad she had the courage to be honest and forthcoming. Unfortunately, I imagine DC leadership is even now searching for a more easily handled "yes man" to check off the box of medical director.
 
Mad respect for such a professional letter, and very interesting. Maybe my head was in the sand, and I'm never looking into things on the east coast, but I had no clue the system was that rough.

I have been told in no uncertain terms that I am here for "medicine" and not policy or operational input.
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This line is what caught my eye. Unbelievable. Just with that it sounds like the focus was already on the MD check box when they hired Dr. Saussy, and less the idea of improving the department.

I was thinking it before she got there with multiple statistics and the flat suggestion. Would a big step towards the solution be splitting the department into separate Fire and EMS departments?
 
Roasted on a skewer!

Lots of ammunition in that letter.
 
Grimes said:
Would a big step towards the solution be splitting the department into separate Fire and EMS departments?
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Splitting into two departments could be a start. But you’d probably also need to re-hire all of the EMS management team, at all levels. You’d probably need to fire and re-hire all of the current providers (700+ I think the letter said). You’d have to get new facilities for EMS, since the toxic atmosphere of the fire department would carry through to the new organization. It would take leadership at the Mayor and City Council level. The Fire Leadership would pitch a huge fit, since they will lose a significant amount of power and budget. The fire/EMS union would pitch a huge fit for the same reason. Lawsuits would happen. Change can be done, but it won’t be anywhere near easy, or a quick process.
 
Yea I'm just certain the IAFF would play nice with a plan to split off EMS from the FD. They certainly wouldn't use any of their political clout to throw a monkey wrench in the plan.

If this medical director actually wanted to get something done in DC, she should have played hardball and held the re-certification signoffs hostage to compliance with improvement. She decided to be Dr. Niceguy and resign instead. Now they can hire a rubber stamp doc for a lot of money who will sign off so they can keep the status quo and pay a private service millions to bolster response because that is far easier than fixing a problem system especially when there is an entrenched culture of mediocracy protected by a union.
 
Grimes said:
Ah, fair enough. Not necessarily a reaction to Dr. Saussy's resignation.
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Actually, I think it was.... They had the authority for months to do it. I think they finally made it happen as an effort to "do something" after her letter.
 
Total dysfunctional department. Having family working in the DC area in the healthcare industry, I've been told the general feelings towards DC FEMS from the both citizens and other providers is poor.
 
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