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SOUTH DAKOTA AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION

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2025 SDAA Annual Conference

DATES: 

Conference: February 7th - 9th, 2025

LOCATION:

AmericInn, 312 Island Dr., Fort Pierre, SD 57532

Registration:

https://www.sdambulance.org/Events

Schedule of Events
(Printable Schedule Link)

Friday Sessions 

Time

Session

Presenter(s)

1:00- 3:00

Billing

Updates on what is needed and what has changed.

Travis & Michelle Smith

3:00 – 5:00

Trauma & Data the Two Coolest Things Ever

Trauma Team talks about the importance of the Trauma Teams across the state of South Dakota.

James Hale &

Brian Owen

5:00-6:00

FREE Education this Coming Year

The SDAA has received two grants from the SDDOH to provide free education statewide. Learn about the training opportunities we offer and how we can bring high-quality education to your community or one near you. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your skills and improve patient care!

SDAA Board of Directors 

 Saturday Sessions

Time

Session

Presenter(s)

9:00 – 10:00

Hot Topics – Highlights of Current Trends in EMS

Steve and Matt will lightning-round the major events/happenings in EMS during 2024. Topics will include major legal cases, industry statements, cost reports, GEMT, payment reform, balance billing.

 

Wirth & Zavadsky

10:00 – 11:00

Start with “WHY?” – Keys to Inspiring Peak Performance from Every Member of Your EMS Team

Based on the best-selling leadership book by Simon Sinek, “Start with WHY,” this session applies these principles to the EMS world. We’ll discuss why some people and EMS organizations are more innovative, more influential, and yes, more profitable than others. You will leave this session with proven strategies to help inspire everyone in your organization. This will help you get all your leadership team working within the same “Golden Circle,” so they are all on the “same page” to better think, act, and communicate effectively and efficiently.

Wirth

11:00 – 11:15

Break

 

11:15 – 12:15

2025 EMS Transformation Update – What’s Promising? What’s Threatening?

The role of EMS continues to dramatically evolve.  Healthcare systems and payers have new agendas - delving even more into the value-based payment arena. Agencies and practitioners are implementing new services that enhance the value EMS brings to patients, payers, hospitals, ACOs, CMOs, and Hospital in the Home providers. This session will provide a deeper dive into current ‘happenings’ over the past year what it potentially means to your agency.

Zavadsky

12:15 – 1:15

Lunch

 

1:15 – 2:15

When is a Patient Really a Patient?

This age-old question has been a challenge for EMS practitioners for decades as the lines are often blurred as to when our legal obligation to the patient begins and ends. The homicide trial of the two paramedics in the Elijah McClain case emphasized the importance of our “duty to access” the patient as soon as possible, even if the patient is under the control of law enforcement. This thought-provoking session will address the legal and moral “duty to act” issues in the various difficult situations we encounter every day where it is not so clear that we really have a patient in the first place.  We’ll discuss “refusals” of care, informed decision-making, transfers of care to other providers, and the legal pitfalls of the “provider induced refusal.”  

Wirth

2:15 – 2:20

Stretch

 

2:20 – 3:30

Back to the Future: Is ‘Regression’ the Key to our Future?

EMS system design and delivery is rapidly changing due to the failing EMS economic model, growing EMS worker shortage, and lessons learned from the public health emergency. A growing body of patient outcomes research seems to prove that what we once thought was real, may no longer be true.  Is what we once thought archaic, now becoming best practice? Ideas that would have been considered heresy a few years ago are becoming acceptable.  What changes are occurring?  What myths are being dispelled?  How can you effectively educate your community to safely transition your system from the current state to the future state?  These questions and more will be answered during this dynamic, interactive and, at times, controversial session.

Zavadsky

3:30 – 3:45

Break

 

3:45 – 4:30

The Power of "Going the Extra Mile" - Living Our EMS Calling Every Single Day

What does it mean to "go the extra mile" in EMS? It is selfless effort to go beyond what is expected of us as we compassionately put the patient first in all that we do. Going the “extra mile” in our noble work shows a commitment to providing exceptional patient care that goes beyond the ordinary - with a lasting impact like no other. In this motivational presentation, based on real-life examples, Steve will describe the three amazing powers of going the extra mile that we each have within us – and how those powers can help us heal the hurting, recognize our own self-worth, and set a positive example for others to follow. This presentation helps remind us that in EMS, that "extra mile" is not just a distance but a measure of the heart and soul we put into making a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.

Wirth

4:30 – 4:35

Stretch

 

4:35 – 5:15

Patient Protection & Ambulance Agency Sustainability Project

The SDAA has retained PWW|AG to assist with the development of a strategy to improve the reimbursement model for ambulance service in South Dakota, to include:

·       Patient protection from balance billing for ambulance service

·       Payment for treatment in place without transport

·       Medicare payment parity for South Dakota Medicaid

 

Steve, Matt, Brian and Shawn will give an overview of the goals, activities and agency involvement of this project.

 

Hambek, Fischer, Wirth, Zavadsky

6:00-6:30

Social followed by banquet and Dueling Pianos

 

Sunday Sessions

Time

Session

Presenter(s)

9:00 – 10:00

DOH Updates and SDBOME Advisory Board

 

Marty Link and SDBMOE Advisory Board

10:00 – 10:30

Legislative Update

Steve Willard

10:30 - 11:30

Rapid City Fire Department MIH Program

Ryan Marcks and Halli Schulz

11:30-12:30

Business Meeting and Election of Officers

-Vice President

-Treasurer

-District 1, 3, 5, 7 Vice Presidents

SDAA Board of Directors


About the association

SD Ambulance Association is a professional association of EMS leaders dedicated to the discovery, development, and promotion of excellence in leadership and management in EMS systems, regardless of EMS system model, organizational structure or agency affiliation. About Us 

Contacts

Email: seas@rushmore.com

Phone: 605-642-8810

Address: PO Box 543, Spearfish, SD 57783

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