The Metro Emergency Departments Committee was created to coordinate and facilitate:
- Communication among and between hospital emergency departments and EMS providers
- Identification and address of issues of concern to hospitals and EMS services
- Creation and revision of hospital patient transfer agreements and bypass protocols
- Participation of Des Moines hospitals in various local, state, and federal MCI/disaster drills and exercises
- Des Moines hospitals disaster preparedness efforts
The Metro Emergency Department Directors Committee includes representatives from:
- Each Des Moines hospital emergency department and safety/disaster response department
- Central Iowa EMS Directors Association
- Polk County Sheriff’s Office – (C-MED)
- Polk County Emergency Management
- Polk County Public Health Department
- Iowa Department of Public Health – Center for Disaster Operations and Response
Meetings are held quarterly in the board room at the Iowa Hospital Association office starting at 8:00 a.m..