For the third time, Leon County EMS has received a top national accreditation. The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) Panel of Commissioners recently met and conferred another three-year accreditation to Leon County Emergency Medical Services.
CAAS accreditation requires meeting strict national standards of excellence that signify ambulance service has met the “gold standard” for the ambulance industry. The review process consists of completion of a comprehensive application and an on-site review by national experts in EMS. For citizens of Leon County, such accreditation confirms that EMS adheres to the highest standards of first-rate patient care, organizational performance, and customer satisfaction.
“We strive to exceed such stringent requirements because that’s what our citizens expect,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “Pursuing this accreditation was a natural extension of Leon County’s commitment to providing a higher level of emergency medical services to our communities and our patients.”
In 2010, Leon County EMS became Florida’s first government-operated EMS system to meet the rigorous standards and receive accreditation. To date, only 11 other agencies in Florida have achieved the CAAS standards.
“Any agency can claim that it is delivering quality service, but an accredited agency has to prove it,” said Leon County EMS Chief Chad Abrams. “This is just a testament to the emergency medical professionals in Leon County who are dedicated to achieving the highest national standards.”
The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) was formed in 1990 as a not-for-profit to be a standard bearer for medical transportation systems. 168 agencies nationwide have achieved CAAS accreditation.
For more information, contact Chad Abrams, Chief of Emergency Medical Services, at (850) 606-2100 / AbramsC@LeonCountyFL.gov or Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / CavellM@LeonCountyFL.gov .