Presentation: Lessons Learned in Building Diversity and Equity in EMS - Meg Marino & Dr. Emily Nichols

This lecture presentation will review the importance of having a diverse EMS work force, ways to develop community outreach programs to better serve your diverse community, discuss strategies to acknowledge and reduce bias within your organization while building a more diverse EMS organization. It will also include a case study from New Orleans EMS with discussion of the lessons learned.

Activity: Developing an EMS Diversity and Equity Plan - Meg Marino

This activity will help participants develop their own Diversity and Equity plan for their respective EMS agencies. Using the information presented in the previous lecture, participants will work in small groups to develop a plan that will meet the needs of their own organization. Participants will leave with action items to start their own diversity and equity programs.

Biographies:

Meg Marino

Meg Marino, MD, FAAP, is the Deputy Medical Director for New Orleans EMS, Medical Director of Pediatric Prehospital Education for Ochsner Health, and a pediatric emergency medicine physician. She serves as the Chair-Elect for the American Academy of Pediatrics EMS subcommittee. She lectures internationally with the aim of improving the emergency care that pediatric patients receive. Dr. Marino has a strong interest in provider wellness. She is leading the Diversity and Equity Council at New Orleans EMS to help acknowledge biases in healthcare, working to improve access to care to marginalized communities and promoting diversity in EMS

Dr Emily M. Nichols

Emily M. Nichols, MD is the Director and Medical Director for New Orleans EMS. She has been an adult emergency medicine physician since 2006. Dr. Nichols is board certified in both adult and pediatric emergency medicine and cares for persons of all ages during their sickest moments. Her career interests include public health, disaster response, and provider wellness. Dr. Nichols has worked in community clinics in urban and rural settings in the US, Costa Rica, Belize, Haiti, Brazil, and South Africa. Dr. Nichols lectures nationally and internationally on the topics of provider wellness, secondary traumatization, the development of 911 systems and building diverse EMS agencies.