Prehospital EMS

The Hartford Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of EMS provides medical authorization, oversight and continuing education for area pre-hospital providers. 

The Division additionally functions to support EMS providers in their roles and to improve the transition of care between prehospital and in-hospital providers.

The Division provides medical direction and support for LIFE STAR, Hartford Hospital’s critical care air transport program. The LIFE STAR flight crew works collaboratively to function as a high performance team for the transport of the critically ill and injured patients.

For EMS-related issues/questions pertaining to Hartford Hospital, please contact EMS Coordinator David Bailey at 860.972.1180 or David.Bailey@hhchealth.org.

CME Offerings | Protocols | Policies | Communications | Agencies | Our Team

Continuing EMS Education Offerings

• EMS Continuing Education - Virtual Library

For additional EMS Education courses, please visit the EMS Education page of Hartford Hospital’s Center for Education, Simulation and Innovation (CESI).

Protocols

Hartford Hospital sponsored EMS providers are to adhere to the Connecticut Statewide EMS Protocols.  These may be found by visiting the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Office of EMS website. 

Policies

• Adverse Event Reporting Form (fillable)
• Adverse Event Reporting Policy
• Continuing Education Approval
• Disciplinary Action and System Suspension
• Documentation of Patient Care
• Equipment and Care on Scene
• Individual EMS Provider Authorization Renewal
• Obtaining Paramedic Practice Authorization
• Maintaining Individual Authorization to Practice
• Paramedic Minimum Formulary
• Paramedic Precepting Evaluation Criteria
• Paramedic Precepting Evaluation Form
• Paramedic Preceptor Selection and Requirements
• Patient Refusals
• Quality Assurance/Improvement – First Responder QA Review Spreadsheet
• Quality Assurance/Improvement – Paramedic Case Review Criteria
• Quality Assurance/Improvement – Performance Metrics and Monthly Reporting
• Quality Assurance/Improvement – Program Design
• Quality Assurance/Improvement – Selection of Cases for Review
• Renewal of Paramedic Authorization

Communications

Below are memos the Division of EMS has issued to provide clinical guidance/direction, address procedural questions or other issues. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Additionally, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services (CT-DPH OEMS) periodically issues communications directed at EMS providers. These may be found by visiting the CT-DPH OEMS Communications Page.

• 2021
  • EMS Audult Medician Reference Sheet
  • Medical equipment purchases by sponsored EMS
  • Required dilution of ketamine and midazolam when administering intravenously
• 2019
  • Reminder regarding treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning
• 2018
  • Regional STEMI Diversion Policy
• 2017
  • Cardiac arrest epinephrine only to be given via syringe bolus
  • Change in HHC Stroke Triage Process
  • Guidance regarding potential IV fluid shortages
  • Management of EMS occupational exposures and result reporting
• 2016
  • Guidance regarding IM meds, treatment of abdominal pain and maternal analgesia/antiemetics
  • Regional EMS Restraint Policy
• 2015
  • BLS 12 lead EKG guideline
  • Canceling paramedic response or downgrading to BLS
  • Epinephrine IM Site Selection
  • Labeling syringes and IV bags
  • Norepinephrine mixing and administration guide
  • Performance of resuscitation efforts
• 2013
  • Ambulance exhaust

Sponsored EMS Agencies

The following EMS agencies are sponsored by Hartford Hospital’s Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of EMS:

Paramedic

• Aetna Ambulance
• West Hartford Fire Department
• Windsor Volunteer Ambulance Association

Basic Ambulance Services

• Glastonbury Volunteer Ambulance Association
• Newington Volunteer Ambulance Association
• Rocky Hill Volunteer Ambulance Association

Primary and Supplemental First Responders

• Broad Brook Fire Department 
• Hartford Fire Department 
• Newington Police Department
• Plainville Police Department
• Rocky Hill Police Department
• State of Connecticut, Capitol Police
• West Hartford Police Department
• Windsor Police Department

Our Team

Lauri Bolton, MD

Medical Director and Co-Program Director, Lifestar

Dr. Bolton earned his bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1999 and received his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2005. His post graduate training in Emergency Medicine was completed at the University of Connecticut after which additional fellowship training in Emergency Medical Services was performed at Hartford Hospital. Dr. Bolton is an active member of the Air Medical Physician Association serving as a past board member, Secretary-Treasurer, and is the current President. He works clinically in the Emergency Department of Hartford Hospital and is the Medical Director and Co-Program Director for LIFE STAR, Connecticut’s first air medical service.

Charles Johndro, DO

Medical Director, Ground EMS

Dr. Johndro was born and raised in Bristol Connecticut and joined the United States Air Force in 1997.  His EMS career began at that time and continued with his work as a Paramedic in the New York City 911 EMS system from 2001 until he began medical school in 2008.  After completing medical school, Dr. Johndro trained in the Emergency Medicine residency program at Hartford Hospital/UCONN.  Dr. Johndro currently works as an attending physician at Hartford Hospital and holds a faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor at the University Of Connecticut School Of Medicine.  Dr. Johndro’s professional interests include disaster medicine, resuscitation/critical care and provider wellness.       

David Bailey, BS, NRP, EMS-I

EMS Coordinator

David became interested in EMS while volunteering as a firefighter and later as an EMT.  He became certified as a paramedic in 1990 and has since worked in various clinical environments as a provider, educator and supervisor.  In 2000, David graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree majoring in physiology / neurobiology.  Prior to his current role with Hartford Hospital, he worked as a regional EMS coordinator for CT-DPH.  Dave’s passion lies in optimizing the quality of care delivered by prehospital providers and elevating the professionalism of EMS.

Robert Rautio

EMS Network Development Manger – Hartford Region

Rob joined Hartford Healthcare’s EMS team in June of 2022 after 15 years of involvement with EMS in Eastern Connecticut, both as a practicing Paramedic and in progressive leadership roles culminating the a Director level role in commercial EMS. His passion in EMS is to enable others to be the most successful version of themselves, and his role at HHC is to enable the success of EMS agencies and providers in the Hartford Region by strengthening and expanding Hartford Hospital’s ability to “provide for it’s providers.” In addition to his EMS centric focus, Rob is involved in community outreach, municipal collaboration, and patient movement throughout the Hartford Region. Rob maintains an active CT Paramedic license and National Registry credential, is a NEMSMA Board Certified Managing Paramedic Officer, and maintains a CM designation from ICPM, a business center of James Madison University.