October 27, 2003
Volume I, Number 9

Internationally known - THE CENTER FOR EMERGENCY MEDICINE

How many times you have looked up in the sky and seen a medical transport helicopter knowing that on-board, emergency care is being administered to an ill or injured person? Have you ever wondered how many medical transport flights are completed every year? Today, the STAT MedEvac team completes over 7,000 flights annually. STAT MedEvac services are provided through emergency ground transport, helicopter transport, turbo-prop airplanes, long-distance Learjet missions, and medical escort services both locally and internationally.

You have probably heard of STAT MedEvac, and seen their helicopters… but did you realize that they are affiliated with The Center for Emergency Medicine (CEM)? Established in 1978 to unite the City of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine to ensure and improve emergency medical service in the Pittsburgh area, CEM has made great improvements in the area’s pre-hospital and emergency care system.

CEM is a unique model of success — an advanced system of emergency transport, clinical care, education and research, governed by a group of tertiary care and community hospitals, and a leading university, in concert with a major metropolitan city. CEM has become the world’s foremost organization for the advancement of emergency medicine research and education… and most importantly; patient care. CEM also houses one of the leading emergency medicine residency programs in the nation, and its educational programs attract students from all over the world.

Dr. Paul M. Paris — teacher, researcher, author, clinician, and CEM’s Chief Medical Officer — has set the precedent for advancing emergency medicine. Dr. Paris is international recognized by colleagues and others in the EMS community as a leader in emergency medicine. He has been honored by state and national organizations with numerous prestigious awards, and is widely known for his teaching and innovations in acute pain management and pre-hospital emergency care. His extensive research in pain management has led to the publication of two books on the subject. He is responsible for easing the suffering for thousands of patients, and is regarded as the “father” of the humane treatment of acute pain.

Dr. Walt A. Stoy, Associate Professor and Director of Emergency Medicine, is the principal investigator and product director for the revision of the entire national standard curriculum for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He has authored numerous texts and ancillary products for emergency medicine education, and has extensive teaching experience with the emergency medicine curriculum. Dr Stoy’s areas of special expertise are course content and training systems.

Pittsburgh Gateways Corporation, in conjunction with CEM, has developed a business plan to:

• Identify potential sources of grant, contribution, or contract revenue from foundations, corporations, and governmental entities.
  
• Assist with the preparation of proposals to compete for such funding.
  
• Develop and implement a strategy for CEM to capture a share of the upside potential for new commercial products that are introduced to, and internally developed by, CEM.
  
• Increase the flow of new commercial products generated through CEM.
  
• Raise the profile of CEM within certain sectors to establish a brand identity as a world-class Center of Excellence.
  

CEM is also known internationally for its research in emergency medicine. Their researchers have helped shape current emergency medicine protocols through studies of cardiac arrest, airway control, automatic external defibrillation, pediatric emergencies and pain management. CEM has presented and published nationally, having received numerous awards for its contributions to the advancement of emergency medicine. The Center, the Office of Education, and its research affiliates have published more textbooks and studies in the field of emergency medicine than any other facility in the world.