CHaMP's overall goal is to conduct innovative and relevant pediatric prehospital research.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a relatively young medical specialty, with a history that is less than 50 years old. Limited research has been conducted to determine how to optimize medical care in the prehospital setting, and the research that has been conducted has primarily utilized adult populations. Thus, a large knowledge gap exists in pediatric EMS, making research on children in a prehospital setting essential.
CHaMP collectively responds to over 500,000 EMS calls per year, of which approximately 87,000 are pediatric. The node is overseen by the University at Buffalo. Each EMS affiliate has a robust history of conducting successful EMS research (including randomized clinical trials) and has cultivated a culture among its providers that values research. From the administration to the field providers at each of these organizations, research is recognized as integral to their mission, and they value contributing to the EMS knowledge base.
Each EMS agency in CHaMP has formed partnerships with their receiving hospitals that allow them to provide state-of-the-art care as well as collect outcomes data for research. Emergency care requires a continuum of care that starts in the prehospital setting and continues through emergency department care and, if necessary, hospital admission. Research on emergency conditions requires cooperation across that continuum. Participating EMS agencies have strong partnerships with their receiving hospitals and have engaged them to support the CHaMP network. Therefore, the infrastructure developed by this collaboration is capable of successfully conducting pediatric-focused prehospital research that will improve prehospital care for ill and injured children on a national scale.
| Total | |
| Population Served | 4,268,480 |
| Population Under 21 | 1,243,282 (29%) |
| Square Miles | 1,441 |
| Annual EMS Calls | 510,836 |
| Annual Pediatric Calls (<21) | 87,397 (17%) |
| Highest Level of Care | ALS |
| Number of Paramedics | 1,222 |
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), as part of an award totaling $2,950,000 with 0% financed with non-governmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.