On January 23rd, 2020, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians launched a new “EMS-ID” system marking a milestone in the national EMS structure and EMS profession. This 12-digit, unique, public identification number had been anticipating a release onto the NREMT website as well as with some licensure systems by June 2020 with more expansion to come in the near future. This specific number will allow the ability not only to link all of your State and National EMS records directly to you but also to allow for easy access to your credentials and information as needed for yourself or State EMS offices. This ID number is however different when comparing it to your national registry number.

Your national registry number typically changes from certification to certification once you have obtained a higher level of training/education although this new ID number will stay the same with you throughout your career. This ID number is only issued once to you and will remain as your “master account number” linking your national registry certification(s) numbers directly to this. With this system being put into place, what is the reasoning for it?

With the progressing development of the Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice (also referred to as The EMS Compact), a multi-state system allowing for EMS personnel to work under their licensure in other participating states, the request was made for the NREMT to meet the needs of this new modern system. With many different issues and conflicts between privacy concerns, linking records from state to state across a variety of diverse platforms, it was quickly obvious something needed to be done. With the combination of the above criteria, this has allowed for the building of a new database for EMS. Providing new studies and information about how diverse EMS can be involving transport/care across state lines, receiving education or training out of state, “The EMS Compact” will work directly with your EMS-ID allowing for the multi-state privilege to practice for EMS personnel within the participating eighteen states. This EMS-ID opens the window for the ability of access to an individual's EMS status, licensure, and participation in The EMS Compact.

Now with those individuals who may not be licensed in multiple states or performing cross-border operations, this will grant a more “streamline” take on transferring continuing education earned in different states or while attending different conferences providing the information to the National Registry or other systems to track continuing education. The EMS-ID will serve the purpose as the “key” to share such information with the intent to eliminate current duplication of data entry.

In addition to the variety of capabilities, this EMS-ID has to offer, it provides State EMS Officials a new “tool” to protect and regulate EMS system in their jurisdiction by allowing for easier capabilities in finding actions recorded on an individual's records within the federal database including access to the HHS-OIG List of Excluded Individuals, Social Security Death Notification List and Sex Offender Registry. This EMS-ID will furthermore give the NREMT the ability to gather important information of the EMS workforce including exact numbers of the total licensed EMS providers in the United States.

With all being said, each individual EMS-ID number will be constructed from multiple different pieces of information including data from NREMT, state licensure(s), EMS compact (if applicable), further or initial EMS education/training received and a collection of federal database information. The thought of this system will provide your number to be used and tracked even in a daily operational perspective with a potential “scannable barcode” to confirm EMS credentials, current education enrollment as well as the play a role in the developing Community Paramedicine models throughout our country.

EMS-ID may not be ready at this time, although with the continued development of this new database, you may see this information begin to trickly into their local EMS office soon to come. This new ID system will provide EMS providers, employers, state officials, and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians the ability to better unify information within the field of EMS in the United States as well as provide a progression in the privilege to practice within multiple other states.

For any further questions or information regarding this developing system, refer to nremt.org or emscompact.gov.

Resources

NATIONAL REGISTRY LAUNCHES THE NATIONAL EMS-ID, https://www.nremt.org/rwd/public/document/news-ems-id-release (2020) 

https://www.emscompact.gov/ 

Article Reviewed: https://www.nremt.org/rwd/public/document/news-ems-id-release