Lewiston – United Ambulance Service is proud to announce their accreditation approval from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS). United has been Maine’s only nationally accredited ambulance service since 2006, maintaining compliance with national standards of excellence for over 15 years.
Every three years United completes a voluntary review process which includes completion of a comprehensive application and on-site review by national experts in emergency medical services (EMS).
CAAS is a non-profit organization which was established to encourage and promote quality patient care in America’s medical transportation system. The primary focus of the Commission’s standards is high-quality patient care. This is accomplished by establishing national standards which not only address the delivery of patient care, but also the ambulance service’s total operation and its relationships with other agencies, the general public, and the medical community. In most instances the Commission’s standards exceed state and local licensing requirements.
Paul Gosselin, United’s Executive Director said “overcoming the challenges of COVID, our staff has been key to our successful completion of the process. We continuously strive to do our best and we view accreditation as another step toward excellence.”
“Everyone has played a valuable role in our ability to meet the Commission’s high standards, including our instructors at UTC. Being able to recruit highly trained EMTs has helped United sustain its staffing levels through nationwide shortages.”
United Training Center, or UTC, is a state of the art facility located within United’s Lewiston station that offers an array of pre-hospital and occupational courses, as well as EMS licensure programs. The Center is authorized by Maine EMS and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT).
Like United Ambulance, UTC has a recent reaccreditation to celebrate. The Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation available for EMS programs and ensures they meet standards identified by the EMS profession. UTC’s Paramedic Program is one of six CAAHEP accredited programs in the State, boasting a graduation rate of 95%. Graduates of UTC’s program have gone on to work in all areas of the nation, from Maine to California to Texas.
If you are interested in starting a career in EMS or would like more information about United Ambulance Service, visit them online at: www.unitedambulance.com.