The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) is an independent accrediting agency that encourages and promotes the highest standards for ambulance services. Accreditation requires adherence to rigorous standards within the industry.
Greenwich EMS was founded in July of 1986 by the Town of Greenwich and a group of citizens determined to provide the best pre-hospital emergency medical care possible to the community. The town and its citizens have generously supported Greenwich EMS throughout this journey. Greenwich EMS believes that The Town of Greenwich deserves to have an accredited EMS agency.
GEMS has been working toward CAAS Accreditation for several years. Many of the standards exceed those established by the state and are designed to help increase operational efficiency and decrease risk and liability across the entire organization. Greenwich EMS had to meet over 100 standards set by CAAS. Every department within the organization, including operations, clinical services, communications, maintenance, billing, HR, and special operations, had to meet standards specific to their department. The CAAS inspectors conducted a detailed two-day inspection, checking facilities, reviewing procedures and protocols, and interviewing personnel within Greenwich EMS and our community partners in EMS. CAAS provides a template for making comprehensive changes that improve the organization overall. “The staff and Board of Directors of the Greenwich EMS are extremely proud of this accomplishment. “said Tracy Schietinger, Executive Director.
GEMS has always been driven to be one of the premier agencies in Connecticut, and CAAS accreditation validates our mission, values, and commitment to the people we serve. The process to be certified by what is considered to be the “gold standard” for ambulance services was years in the making. With the dedication of our employees and the commitment to delivering the highest quality care to the citizens of Greenwich, we were able to achieve our goal.
