Faculty

Jeff Tabor

NRP, BS, FACPE
Program Director
Metropolitan EMS (MEMS)

Celebrating 30 years in EMS, Jeff began his EMS career in 1996 and is a Program Director for Metropolitan EMS in Little Rock, AR. He serves as the Chairman of the Arkansas EMS Advisory Committee and is a partner & V.P. in a consulting firm specializing in trauma system development & evaluation. In his 25th year of military service, Jeff is a Master Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, where he is assigned to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as the Senior Enlisted Advisor of Navy Reserve Medicine. Jeff holds an undergraduate degree in EMS Administration and is a graduate of the Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy and Command Master Chief / Chief of the Boat course. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the American College of Paramedics.

2026 Sessions

What Are the Criteria for Flying Patients Today? A Look at Position Statements and Best Practices

Yes, I understand

The appropriate use of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) remains a critical component of modern trauma systems, yet significant variability persists in when and why aircraft are launched. This presentation examines current evidence-based criteria, system considerations, and triage tools that support optimal decision-making for both scene flights and interfacility transfers. Drawing from national position statements by NAEMSP, ACEP, and AMPA, the session highlights three essential pillars—clinical need, safety, and system integration—as foundational elements guiding HEMS activation or cancellation. Emphasis is placed on the importance of objective measures, including the Air Medical Prehospital Triage (AMPT) Score, which identifies trauma patients most likely to benefit from air transport based on paired physiologic and anatomic criteria.

The session further explores the real-world challenges influencing HEMS decisions, such as geographic limitations, availability of definitive care and immediately available balanced blood products, variations in provider experience, and the pressures facing rural EMS systems. Participants will analyze when ground transport is equally effective—or superior—based on patient condition, time-to-care, and resource availability. The presentation also discusses the vital role of quality assurance, centralized coordination, and empowering both ground and air crews to make cancellation decisions aligned with patient-centered goals.

Panelist (3 or more Presenters)

Presenter (1 Presenter)

Friday, October 02 9:45–10:45 AM
Room W230 C
Critical Care
Faculty

Peter Fischer

MD, MS, NRP
Trauma Medical Director
Washington Regional Medical Center

Peter E. Fischer MD, MS, NRP is the Trauma Medical Director of Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, AR and an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Surgery for the University of Arkansas. He completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Tennessee at Memphis and subsequently a surgical critical care fellowship at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR. Prior to and during residency he worked as a Firefighter/Paramedic. He is the Medical Director for Hospital Wing Air Ambulance Service and serves as Medical Team Manager for Tennessee Task Force 1. He is Sysem Pillar Chair and serves on the Executive Committee for the ACS COT. He has a strong clinical and research interest in prehospital trauma care and trauma system development.

Faculty

Brandon Morshedi

MD, DPT, NRP, FACEP, FAEMS, FP-C, CCP-C
EMS Physician
GMR/Metropolitan EMS

Brandon Morshedi, MD, DPT, NRP, FACEP, FAEMS, FP-C, CCP-C is an EM/EMS physician who began as an EMT/Firefighter in 2001 before becoming a paramedic, physical therapist, and ultimately a physician. He completed EMS fellowship at UT Southwestern and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX, serving as Deputy Medical Director for the City of Dallas police and fire departments through 2021. Now in Arkansas, Dr. Morshedi works in multiple emergency departments, serves on the Board of Directors for NAEMSP, the Vice Chair of the AR EMSAC, and is the Medical Director for ~2300 ground, flight, critical care, wilderness, CP/MIH, and TEMS clinicians across AR/TX, as well as EMS initial and continuing education programs. He serves on numerous additional state and national councils and committees aimed at improving prehospital systems of care.

Faculty

Jeff Tabor

NRP, BS, FACPE
Program Director
Metropolitan EMS (MEMS)

Celebrating 30 years in EMS, Jeff began his EMS career in 1996 and is a Program Director for Metropolitan EMS in Little Rock, AR. He serves as the Chairman of the Arkansas EMS Advisory Committee and is a partner & V.P. in a consulting firm specializing in trauma system development & evaluation. In his 25th year of military service, Jeff is a Master Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, where he is assigned to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as the Senior Enlisted Advisor of Navy Reserve Medicine. Jeff holds an undergraduate degree in EMS Administration and is a graduate of the Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy and Command Master Chief / Chief of the Boat course. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the American College of Paramedics.

Back to top