The Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) continues to evaluate operational functions within the office so that we can improve the coordination and administration of programs and services to Virginia’s EMS System. This week, OEMS is implementing changes that positively impact our business operations. Fitch & Associates, in consultation with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) leadership, recently identified span of control issues within OEMS’ organizational structure. Span of control is defined as the area of activity and number of functions, people, or things that an individual/organization is responsible for. Currently, the OEMS organizational chart has 11 positions that report to the OEMS director. In order to reduce the span of control and to make it more manageable and functionally based, OEMS will implement a new organizational structure effective immediately. The new office structure will be similar to an Incident Command Structure and create a Senior Leadership Team focused on three core functions: Operations and Planning, Compliance and Education, and Trauma and Administration. Each core function will have an assigned OEMS Deputy Director that will report to the OEMS Director. The following OEMS leaders have been designated as Deputy Directors of these core functions: - Operations and Planning – Karen Owens
This core function includes Community Health and Technical Resources, Emergency Operations, and Regional and Hybrid EMS Councils. - Compliance and Education – Scott Winston
This core function includes Accreditation, Certification and Education, and Regulation and Compliance. - Trauma and Administration – Cam Crittenden
This core function includes Business Administration, EMS Systems Funding, Epidemiology, and Trauma and Critical Care.
The OEMS Senior Leadership Team will report to VDH Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Population Health and Preparedness Rachel Stradling, and Fitch & Associates Senior Consultant Frank Gresh, who will co-lead as the interim OEMS Director. Rachel Stradling will continue to operate as the VDH Assistant Deputy Commissioner while also managing business functions that require VDH approval. Frank Gresh will work with Rachel Stradling to handle the day-to-day office functions within OEMS. Additionally, opportunities for increased communication between the Regional and Hybrid EMS Councils and OEMS were identified. In an effort to streamline communications and strengthen messaging between OEMS and the Regional and Hybrid EMS Councils, the councils’ executive directors will report to OEMS Deputy Director Karen Owens to ensure consistent communication. The OEMS Senior Leadership Team will continue to guide efforts between the office and VDH leadership. This new organizational structure will be in place while we continue to evaluate processes, procedures, best practices and next steps. Click here to see the updated organizational chart. A special thanks from VDH leadership and the OEMS team to Cam Crittenden who has been serving as the Acting Director of OEMS. Her dedication and knowledge as a leader in EMS has helped streamline the administrative and operational functions within the office to create a more functional and sustainable EMS System in Virginia. OEMS will be posting the OEMS director position in the coming weeks. | 
