As we recognize National EMS Week, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank the incredible members of NSH EMS for the work you do every single day in service to our patients, our organization, and our community.
Providing emergency care in rural healthcare is not always easy. The long distances, unpredictable conditions, staffing challenges, late nights, missed holidays, difficult calls, and constant adaptability required of this team often happen quietly - behind the scenes and without recognition. But your impact is felt every day across Cook County and throughout North Shore Health.
This year’s EMS Week theme, “Improving Outcomes, Together,” reflects exactly who we are. EMS does not operate alone. We are part of a larger mission of Community Access to Compassionate Care, and I’m incredibly proud of the way this crew continues to show up for patients, for each other, and for our partners across the organization.
To our EMS crew: thank you for your professionalism, resilience, compassion, teamwork, humor, flexibility, and commitment to continual growth. Whether responding to a 911 call, transferring a critical patient, supporting the ED, assisting with EMR and EMT students, helping a coworker, or simply stepping up when needed — your work matters.
We see you. We appreciate you. And we’re grateful to have you representing NSH EMS.
Happy National EMS Week.
-Karla, Director of EMS