WHAT
IOEMT is an independent non-profit international organization that promotes and coordinates a global network of prehospital medical care providers, also defined EMTs, including any level from first responders up to critical care paramedics. Thanks to its large number of volunteers from any continent and to its international connections and partnerships with EMSs, universities, national registries of EMTs and different public authorities, IOEMT is able to design, coordinate or simply facilitate any project related to prehospital medical care in the world.
WHY
Anywhere in the world local Healthcare Systems have organized Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to treat emergencies like critical injuries or severe illnesses occuring in the daily life. The EMSs involve different kinds of resources with different levels of skills, responsibilities and specializations and also apply different procedures varying from region to region even within the same country. Qualifications, certifications and procedures may be different but all the providers share the same goals resumed in their symbol: the star of life.
No matter where they are from, what language they speak and how their EMS is organized: they all are educated and committed to save human lives.
Having said that, international cooperation is easier than it looks like. It just need standardization and coordination. And here comes IOEMT.
WHO
IOEMT gathers individuals who are registered EMTs (by a National Healthcare Service or a recognized authority) and are active members of an EMS, whether professionally or voluntarily.
In order to allow effective cooperation among members from different countries, it's necessary to set standards. For this reason IOEMT chose to adopt the classification of the U.S. NHTSA (2014) recognizing the following levels :
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
- Paramedic
- Prehospital Emergency Physician (not included in the U.S. NHTSA classificat.)