Received from a previous Beaver Island FNP

[medic5740]

To the Beaver Island Community:

I am a former Nurse Practitioner to the Beaver Island Community approximately 10 years ago. During the time spent, I had the opportunity to work closely with the EMS staff on various emergencies that occurred on the island. There was a cooperative spirit and each entity understood their roles in providing quality, appropriate health care. With the physicians at the Charlevoix ER providing guidance during the emergency situations, things went smoothly.

After leaving Beaver Island, I went to a rural clinic in southwest Michigan, where again services are limited for patients. We have had people walk in off the street in the midst of having a heart attack, to people having significant breathing issues. As a provider I can treat these people initially, however, further services are necessary and a timely transfer to a more advanced facility is necessary. The EMS providers are the ones to provide this next step in the care system.

When there is a complete team of health care providers, each having a specific role, then quality healthcare is provided. Being in a community with limited resources, your EMS department is often the first healthcare provider to reach the scene where services are necessary. There are various levels of EMS providers, basic, specialist, and paramedic, all having an essential role. In a life threatening incident, the paramedic role allows necessary life saving medications and services to instantly be provided.

One makes a choice to live on an island or a remote community. Knowing that there are routine and emergent healthcare services often influence the decision on where to live. As my husband and I still live on the island part time at the present time, knowing that appropriate emergent care will influence our decision on whether to stay full time in the future.

Quality health care is important to all, I hope that the continued presence of a full-time paramedic as part of the EMS system will be acknowledged and supported as the important part of the health care team that it is.

Connie Harris, FNP-BC