317-514-6985
makaufmann@EMSEducation.net

About

Michael A. Kaufmann, MD, FACEP, FAEMS

Physician among First in the Country To Receive Board Certification in Emergency Medical Services

INDIANAPOLIS – Michael A. Kaufmann, MD, FACEP was one of the first physicians in the country to be Board Certified in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) by the American Board of Medical Specialties. EMS is defined as a medical subspecialty that encompasses pre-hospital emergency patient care, including initial patient stabilization, treatment, and transportation in specially equipped ambulances or helicopters to hospitals. The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) announced in late September that the subspecialty of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

“The purpose of subspecialty certification in EMS is to standardize physician training and qualifications for EMS practice, to improve patient safety and enhance the quality of emergency medical care provided to patients in the prehospital environment, and to facilitate further integration of prehospital patient treatment into the continuum of patient care. We are pleased that EMS has been recognized by ABMS as a clinical discipline that extends emergency care to the acutely ill and injured patient in the prehospital venue,” stated Mark T. Steele, M.D., ABEM President.

EMS became the sixth subspecialty available to ABEM diplomates along with Medical Toxicology, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. The development of EMS as a subspecialty has been discussed for many years but it was through the concerted efforts of the National Association of EMS Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and ABEM that certification in the subspecialty was approved.

As part of their clinical practice, EMS physicians are responsible for medical oversight of the whole EMS team. EMS physician practice combines direct patient care in the field with supervisory and other functions that ensure an effectively functioning response system. This includes daily direct medical decision-making and control of care provided by EMS personnel. Some examples of this include verbal medical treatment orders based on clinical information provided by allied health personnel, transport modality and destination appropriate patient care decisions, developing and deploying written patient treatment guidelines for the EMS team, and ensuring procedural competency training of allied health personnel. EMS physicians also lead quality management activities relating to medical care delivered by the entire EMS system.

Certification in the subspecialty of EMS is achieved through an application process with the American Board of Medical Specialties, a minimum of 60 months of EMS practice of at least 400 hours per year, and a 300-question examination that covers the core content of EMS Physician practice. Physicians must renew board certification every ten years.

Michael Kaufmann graduated from Indiana University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology. At that same time, he was certified by the State of Indiana as an Emergency Medicine Technician. He then worked as a microbiologist for Cook Pharmaceutical Solutions for one year in Bloomington, Indiana before entering Indiana University School of Medicine. He graduated with his medical degree in 1998 and went on to complete an emergency medicine residency at the Case Western Reserve-MetroHealth Medical Center program in Cleveland, Ohio. During his last year there, he served as Chief Resident. He flew as a flight physician for Cleveland Metro Life Flight for three years. Since finishing residency, Dr. Kaufmann has worked as an emergency physician at St. Vincent Hospital and Health Systems. He is board certified in Emergency Medicine. He has also served as the EMS Medical Director for St. Vincent Hospital and all of their EMS affiliates, including Pike Township Fire Department, the Carmel Fire Department, Whitestown Fire Department, Zionsville Fire Department, Decatur Township Fire Department, Midwest Ambulance, parts of Seals Ambulance and parts of Rural/Metro Ambulance. Dr. Kaufmann is also a medical director for the St. Vincent StatFlight helicopter program and a former medical director of the St. Vincent Critical Care Transport StatGround Team. Dr. Kaufmann currently provides Medical Direction for several EMS provider agencies throughout the State of Indiana as the CMO for Indiana EMS Physicians.  He also directs dispatch and communication centers as well as EMS training institutions.  Last but not least, Dr. Kaufmann is an avid Ironman triathlete and spends his remaining free time with his wife and four children.

January 6th, 2018 – The Flyer Group

Michael Kaufmann, MD, former medical director of emergency medical services at St. Vincent, is one of 31 physicians across the country to be accepted into the class of Fellows of the Academy of Emergency Medical Services (FAEMS).  This prestigious designation was established by the National Association of EMS Physicians to recognize members’ contributions to the association, to the EMS profession and the development and advancement of EMS.  In order to maintain the FAEMS designation, fellows must continue their membership in and contribution to the association, continue their board certification in EMS, and continue contributing to the subspecialty of EMS.  Out of the 31 fellows awarded designation, Kaufmann is one of two being recognized from Indiana. He now joins the 195 fellows who were awarded the designation in 2016, the program’s inaugural year.  In addition to this latest recognition, Kaufman has also received EMS Medical Director of the Year twice (2009 and 2015), led numerous EMS presentations, published articles in a variety of medical journals and magazines and received several other honors over the years.  Most recently he was awarded the prestigious President’s Award from the Indiana Fire Chief’s Association.  Kaufmann received his bachelor’s degree in microbiology along with his medical degree from Indiana University. He completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University, Metro Health Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic Foundation Emergency Medicine Residency, all located in Cleveland, Ohio.  Outside of work, Kaufmann enjoys spending time with his wife, Mary, and their three children in addition to staying active to participate in Ironman Triathlon competitions.