Here it is, as simple as it gets.
First, we legally set a date. Call it Jan 1, 2024.
Next we extort states to comply by tying medicare reimbursement for ALS service only to agencies that have 100% degreed paramedics.
So if your agency has 1 paramedic without a 4 year degree, you can only get the BLS rate for your whole agency.
When this happens, seeing a need and a market, 4 year universities will open programs left and right.
That is the only major hurdle, and since it isn't an unreasonable time frame, resistance will be lower.
Since most state EMS authorities decide what con ed requirement need to be met, instead of some arbitrary hours like 48 or 96 every 2 years, depending on what state you are from, call it 12 credit hours a year at an accredited university for all with a 2 year degree and 15 a year to those without.
With the average credit for EMT and paramedic class counted, that should get everyone to 120 credits in 10 years.
It will also allow employers to shift the money they currently spend for coned and allow them to negotiate group tuition rates with the unis in the area.
It will not be overly burdonsome for individuals who must pay their own way. Not to mention depending on what your coned fees are, you may be paying less than you do now. Additionally since this coned will be recognized university healthcare courses, it will provide lateral transfer opportunity to other degrees. So when you hurt your back, you can go into being an ultrasound tech.
It then becomes beneficial for employers to hire people who come with a degree because it protects their revenue stream, reduces agency coned costs, and scheduling problems.
If you go to an agency with a degree in hand, you have the bargaining power of coming ready made, which means you can demand a higher pay, since your agency will spend less on you over time and have a provider at the level they will need.
At the end of these 10 years, since providers will be much more educated than now, you could drop the recert con ed back to hours and make it minimal. Say: 20 every 2 years. Make it really enticing and give credit for teaching public classes. (like CPR, first aid, etc.)
Now with a large body of equally educated providers, they can form a real professional organization (not like the pityful NAEMT) and start lobbying for increased pay, etc. with the world accepted bargaining chip.
Now this is not without problem, for example, if you fail your coned classes, you could really be in a bind. Not only would you probably take a financial hit, most likely being forced to pay again out of your own pocket for this conEd, you very easily could fall out of compliance with the necessary credit hours. Which means you could not work in EMS until you made it right.
But this would give every provider a fair shot. I suspect it would eliminate a fair few. (But honestly, is it really a loss?)
Now this could really put a hurt on volunteer agencies. But, it is so far in the future, and the advancements right now considerabe, chances are, an EMT-B will have enough gadgets in hand (like an AED that could recognize any rhtym and apply the appropriate electrical therapy, epipen, etc) to help any life threatening emergency.
Hopefully by then the AHA will have its $hit together on ACLS and PALS medications and all the useless ones (aka most of them) will be gone.
The degree also positions for the future EMS revenue streams, like prevention, education, and public health. As you raise the value of service you provide, you raise your pay.
It also opens up the possibility of making being an instructor a master's degree. Less teachers = less providers. (proven by medical and nursing professions)
Less providers = higher demand = pay bargaining chip.
HIgher paid providers = less fly by night minimalist services = better pay and working conditions for all. Especially when employers are invested in your education.
It can be done, but it is not realistic to say "paramedics need a 4 year degree next year."
First, we legally set a date. Call it Jan 1, 2024.
Next we extort states to comply by tying medicare reimbursement for ALS service only to agencies that have 100% degreed paramedics.
So if your agency has 1 paramedic without a 4 year degree, you can only get the BLS rate for your whole agency.
When this happens, seeing a need and a market, 4 year universities will open programs left and right.
That is the only major hurdle, and since it isn't an unreasonable time frame, resistance will be lower.
Since most state EMS authorities decide what con ed requirement need to be met, instead of some arbitrary hours like 48 or 96 every 2 years, depending on what state you are from, call it 12 credit hours a year at an accredited university for all with a 2 year degree and 15 a year to those without.
With the average credit for EMT and paramedic class counted, that should get everyone to 120 credits in 10 years.
It will also allow employers to shift the money they currently spend for coned and allow them to negotiate group tuition rates with the unis in the area.
It will not be overly burdonsome for individuals who must pay their own way. Not to mention depending on what your coned fees are, you may be paying less than you do now. Additionally since this coned will be recognized university healthcare courses, it will provide lateral transfer opportunity to other degrees. So when you hurt your back, you can go into being an ultrasound tech.
It then becomes beneficial for employers to hire people who come with a degree because it protects their revenue stream, reduces agency coned costs, and scheduling problems.
If you go to an agency with a degree in hand, you have the bargaining power of coming ready made, which means you can demand a higher pay, since your agency will spend less on you over time and have a provider at the level they will need.
At the end of these 10 years, since providers will be much more educated than now, you could drop the recert con ed back to hours and make it minimal. Say: 20 every 2 years. Make it really enticing and give credit for teaching public classes. (like CPR, first aid, etc.)
Now with a large body of equally educated providers, they can form a real professional organization (not like the pityful NAEMT) and start lobbying for increased pay, etc. with the world accepted bargaining chip.
Now this is not without problem, for example, if you fail your coned classes, you could really be in a bind. Not only would you probably take a financial hit, most likely being forced to pay again out of your own pocket for this conEd, you very easily could fall out of compliance with the necessary credit hours. Which means you could not work in EMS until you made it right.
But this would give every provider a fair shot. I suspect it would eliminate a fair few. (But honestly, is it really a loss?)
Now this could really put a hurt on volunteer agencies. But, it is so far in the future, and the advancements right now considerabe, chances are, an EMT-B will have enough gadgets in hand (like an AED that could recognize any rhtym and apply the appropriate electrical therapy, epipen, etc) to help any life threatening emergency.
Hopefully by then the AHA will have its $hit together on ACLS and PALS medications and all the useless ones (aka most of them) will be gone.
The degree also positions for the future EMS revenue streams, like prevention, education, and public health. As you raise the value of service you provide, you raise your pay.
It also opens up the possibility of making being an instructor a master's degree. Less teachers = less providers. (proven by medical and nursing professions)
Less providers = higher demand = pay bargaining chip.
HIgher paid providers = less fly by night minimalist services = better pay and working conditions for all. Especially when employers are invested in your education.
It can be done, but it is not realistic to say "paramedics need a 4 year degree next year."
