EMS rebrand

The renaming of EMS 

to 

MH (EMS and Paramedicine branches)


It started with a tweet:


Tom Bouthillet (http://www.ems12lead.com/about/) recommended in a tweet that we should delete the "e" from "ePCR" because the "electronic" format has become common enough that it is implied.

In agreement, I responded that we should also try to rename other things like "EMS".

 I have been trying to tackle where the EMS name is going and how MIH-CP (Mobile Integrated Health-Community Paramedicine) fits in to our current brand.


His response:

@emsEVOLUTION @emssafe What would you name it?

— Tom Bouthillet (@tbouthillet) November 24, 2015

@tbouthillet "MIH" is on the right track, but lacks passion. It sounds like corporate-speak. Our poor "branding" keeps me up at night.

— Ginger Locke (@emsEVOLUTION) November 25, 2015

Here's an account of the wrestling match I've had with the names EMS and MIH-CP:

I started with the components of the existing name:

E: "Emergency"

I like this word. It's why I picked the field. It's why my students picked the field. 

It's a passionate word that connotes an exciting challenge.

Unfortunately, it's largely a misnomer
because we simply don't encounter much "emergency" in a shift. 

M: "Medical"

This word ties us to healthcare and sets our apart from the public safety pigeon hole.  

"Medical" is the best part of our brand.

S: "Services"

This word doesn't tell additional info about the brand. 

Motivational speakers like to emphasize this word to convey that we are a "service" industry. 

I contend all of healthcare is in the service industry so it doesn't describe how we are unique. What IS nice about it is that it is plural. This implies that the services are multiple. Our new brand should remain plural.

So, where does
Mobile Integrated Healthcare - Community Paramedicine (MIH-CP)
fit into the existing structure?


Next, I broke down its components:

M "Mobile"
This seems spot on as an accurate descriptor and correctly advertises a unique feature of the delivery model.

I: Integrated
This is the part that sounds like corporate-speak. I get what we are doing. This names tells the rest of healthcare that we are part of the team. But again, if we are doing it right, isn't it implied that we are integrated?

H: Healthcare
Perfect. I'll keep it.
It rebrands us not only as emergency responders, but practitioners who can handle many healthcare needs.


The next two parts of the name are already being dropped when people are referring to the system. It's too long and my suggested name will fix the drop.
I'll retain a part of it and put it in a different place.

C: Community
I actually don't think we need this word. Most healthcare is regionally based so it's implied that the service will be in the local area. I say get rid of it.

P: Paramedicine
I'm particularly fond of this word because it says that the job is synonymous with paramedics. I strongly contend that the job is ideal for paramedics. Not EMTs. Nurses, however, could do it. I realize I'm not making friends here but it comes down to foundational education.



I suggest Mobile Healthcare sit right up top as the brand
which branches into EMS and Paramedicine.



With Mobile Healthcare as the umbrella name,
I expect job satisfaction of paramedics to increase substantially.



 I'll explain why in a future post. It may already apparent to some of you...


Stand by for more.