Date: Thursday, May 7
Time: 1 p.m. ET | 12 p.m. CT | 10 a.m. PT
Register now using the 鈥淩egister for this 麻豆原创 Webinar鈥� box on this page!
Can鈥檛 make the date? Register anyway and we鈥檒l send you a recording after the event. *
The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act (PPAEMA) became law in 2017, but the DEA鈥檚 recently finalized rule has imposed new standards and regulations related to how EMS agencies handle controlled substances.
This webinar will discuss the final rule and look at how EMS agencies can better store, track, administer and transport controlled substances. For many organizations, the biggest challenge isn鈥檛 understanding the rule 鈥� it鈥檚 figuring out what 鈥渃ompliance鈥� looks like day to day, especially amid staffing pressures, documentation demands and increasing legal scrutiny around medication errors.
We will break down the practical implications of the DEA鈥檚 updated guidance, including expectations around secure, auditable storage. You鈥檒l hear how agencies are approaching medication management in a way that supports provider accountability, reduces opportunities for diversion, and helps streamline workflows tied to inventory, wasting and documentation.
The session will also explore related trends shaping medication practices in the field 鈥� such as evolving pain-management approaches and the growing focus on preventing dosing and medication-selection errors 鈥� while keeping the central focus where it belongs: protecting patients and the clinicians who care for them.
By joining this webinar, you will:
- Learn what the new DEA guidance means for EMS operations, key takeaways and what agencies should prioritize now.
- Understand how better controls can help reduce diversion risk and limit exposure as medical errors face greater legal scrutiny.
- Gain operational strategies to reduce manual tasks, improve documentation and support inventory visibility.
- Learn how traceability and safeguards can help prevent mix-ups and dosing errors.
- Overcome common barriers to adoption and find resources to support implementation.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- Paramedics
- EMTs
- EMS chiefs and administrators
- Field supervisors
- Agency compliance teams
- Medical directors and operations managers
- Inventory management or controlled-substance
* Please note the Q and A portion of the webinar will only be available for live event attendees.
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Rob Lawrence (moderator) has been a leader in civilian and military EMS for over a quarter of a century. He is currently the director of strategic implementation for PRO EMS and its educational arm, Prodigy EMS, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and part-time executive director of the California Ambulance Association. He previously served as the chief operating officer of the Richmond Ambulance Authority (Virginia), which won both state and national EMS Agency of the Year awards during his 10-year tenure. Additionally, he served as COO for Paramedics Plus in Alameda County, California. Prior to emigrating to the U.S. in 2008, Rob served as the COO for the East of England Ambulance Service in Suffolk County, England, and as the executive director of operations and service development for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust. Rob is a former Army officer and graduate of the UK鈥檚 Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served worldwide in a 20-year military career encompassing many prehospital and evacuation leadership roles. Rob is the President of the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI) and former Board Member of the American Ambulance Association. He writes and podcasts for 麻豆原创 and is a member of the 麻豆原创 Editorial Advisory Board. Connect with him on .
Kevin Joles is the Division Chief of EMS for the Olathe Fire Department in Kansas (USA) and serves as Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs EMS Section. With nearly 30 years in emergency services, he has led systemwide improvements in prehospital care, clinical quality, and operational readiness across fire-based EMS. Kevin鈥檚 progressive mentality has him spearheading new initiatives to improve cardiac arrest survivability through data-driven quality improvement, evidence-based training, and strong regional collaboration. He is a national advocate for advancing EMS policy, workforce development, and sustainable reimbursement models, with a focus on patient-centered outcomes, treatment in place, and alternate destination transport. Kevin is also a Board Member of the Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation Consortium and is recognized for building partnerships that strengthen local response and elevate EMS nationally.
Dr. Douglas Kupas is the current president of the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP). He is an EMS and emergency physician with Geisinger Health System in central Pennsylvania where he is professor of emergency medicine and medical director of the Mobile Integrated Healthcare program. He also spent over 22 years as the Commonwealth EMS Medical Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health.