ASTM F1268-90(2003)

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Designation:F1268–90 (Reapproved 2003)
Standard Guide for
Establishing and Operating a Public Information, Education,
and Relations Program for Emergency Medical Service
Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1268; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system exists for only one reason—to serve the public. If
the system is to perform its functions, the public must be aware of it and must use it to the fullest
extent. Because the public is an essential part of the EMS system, every EMS system must support
a public information, education, and relations (PIER) component. However, because other elements
such as categorization, critical care protocols, communications, and provider training require as much
time and energy, plus the fact that most administrators lack orientation to public information
principles, there is a tendency to approach the public information, education, and relations component
in a less organized and scientific way. Consequently, PIER may suffer a lower priority and may
become a random or fragmented activity.
The fact is that people do not readily change their attitudes and behavior unless it is specifically and
immediately demonstrated to them that there is a need to do so. In this day of complex media message
sending, it is often difficult to get the attention of the general public in the first place. To achieve a
successful PIER program, it should be an organized and systematic effort, including:
(1) An assessment of the attitudes, awareness and knowledge about one’s health and access to the
health delivery system;
(2) A determination of the knowledge needs and identifiable components of the general public;
(3) A method for delivery of information that is relevant, accessible, understandable, acceptable,
usable, timely, and cost-effective;
(4) Ensure that, as much as possible, the information is integrated into attitudes and behaviors of
daily living; and
(5) Evaluate PIER objectives to assess whether or not behavioral changes have occurred, with
beneficial effect upon the individual and ultimately society, and adjusting future PIER activities as
indicated.
Education about health matters has to be interesting, enjoyable, uncomplicated, relevant, and have
some evidence of immediate concrete benefit to the individual’s activities. In EMS, some of the
programs are intrinsically appealing: for example, people might readily participate in CPR training as
it represents a dramatic and demonstrable learning process. However, citizens are less enthusiastic
about access information, abuse and misuse messages, or other facts which are to them, less dramatic
and apparently less relevant.
1. Scope
1.1 The purpose of this guide is to provide national volun-
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F30 on Emergency
tary standards and recommendations to effectively provide
Medical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.03 on
emergency medical service system information and education
Organization/Management.
to the public.
Current edition approved Sept. 10, 2003. Published October 2003. Originally
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as F 1268 – 90 (1998).
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F1268–90 (2003)
2. Referenced Documents therefore the EMS system arrives. If the public knowledge
concerning EMS can be improved, then it is likely that
2.1 ASTM Standards:
appropriate utilization of EMS will increase.
F 1086 Guide for Structures and Responsibilities of Emer-
gency Medical Services Systems Organizations
6. Elements of a PIER Program for EMS
3. Terminology 6.1 The essential elements of an effective public informa-
tion, education, and relations program include, but are not
3.1 Descriptions of Terms:
limited to:
3.1.1 demographics—the study of the descriptive character-
6.1.1 An understanding of EMS system design and opera-
istics of the population. They have long been used to divide or
tion.
segment the population.
6.1.2 Proper access to the system (9-1-1, telephone, call
3.1.2 external PIER attributes—for the public or user of the
box).
EMS system.
6.1.3 Self help, for example, CPR, First Aid, Vial of Life,
3.1.3 internal PIER attributes—within the EMS system for
Medic Alert, and other emergency data devices.
its participants and providers.
6.1.4 Provision for the appropriate and timely release of
3.1.4 public education—an activity that conveys knowledge
information on EMS related events, issues, and public relations
or training, or both, in specific skills.
(damage control).
3.1.5 public information—an activity that factually teaches
6.1.5 Evaluation of EMS.
what the EMS system is and how to enter and use it.
6.1.5.1 Importance of user and provider input.
3.1.6 public information, education and relations (PIER)
6.1.5.2 How to effectively collect and assimilate input.
program—the totality of efforts in all three areas. It is ideally
6.1.6 Current health and safety habits as they relate to
well integrated, unified, focused, with planning and systematic
prevention and reduction of health risks for the public and
execution.
providers.
3.1.7 public information offıcer—a person who dissemi-
6.1.7 Provision for recruitment campaigns for career and
nates appropriate and timely facts.
volunteer personnel in EMS.
3.1.8 public relations—an activity used to foster positive
public attitudes and enhance trust and credibility about the
7. Organizational Commitment to and Authority for
EMS system and its providers.
PIER
4. Significance and Use 7.1 There must be an organizational commitment from the
EMS system (See Fig. 1.)
4.1 It is essential to have the public’s understanding and
7.2 To have an effective PIER program the chief executive
support for the EMS system to ensure its proper development
officer (CEO) must be personally committed to PIER and be
and utilization.
able to make definitive decisions concerning committment of
4.2 This guide encompasses those procedures, consider-
organizational resources. This CEO must assign a PIER
ations, and resources that are necessary for a successful EMS
director who has access to the CEO. This person may in some
public information, education, and relations program. Complex
small areas also be the CEO. The CEO must be continually
EMS systems may integrate or augment, or both, this guide in
apprised of the progress of the PIER program.
its entirety. Less complex systems may need to collaborate
7.3 The organization must designate a responsible and
with other EMS organizations and related agencies. Responsi-
committed public information and education person with
bility for this guide will vary by level of authority, that is, state,
demonstrated ability, who is accountable for the PIER pro-
regional, and local. (See Guide F 1086.)
gram. This person will also provide the mechanism for
4.3 The PIER tasks involve research, planning, production,
establishing standard operating procedures for the occurrence
distribution, and evaluation. Production requires significant
resources and expertise and may be done most appropriately at
the higher level, such as regional, state, and national levels.
5. Statement of the Problem
5.1 Despite the development and rapid expansion of emer-
gency medical services following the passage of the Highway
Safety Act of 1966 and the Emergency Medical Services
System Act of 1973, underutilization and improper utilization
of services still exists in the system. The general public lacks
information on how to access and use the EMS system
appropriately.
5.2 The public needs to learn what EMS is and especially
that it is a system, the importance of utilizing EMS, how to
access it, and what to do and not to do until the ambulance and
NOTE 1—In order to provide the elements of the PIER program, this
planning model should be followed.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 13.02. FIG. 1 PIER Planning Model
F1268–90 (2003)
of unplanned events, and appropriate training for PIO’s or emergency health data that may affect the EMS system. This
others assuming that role. The PIO’s responsibility may includes prehospital, hospital, and rehabilitation data.
include, but not be limited to the news media concerning the
9.2.7 Risk Variables (Possible Public Health Hazards and
nature and extent of an incident and emergency medical care,
Possible Dangers in Particular Area or System)—These in-
for planned or unplanned events.
clude insufficient medical facilities, cultural, occupational,
criminal, recreational, transportation, system maturity (ALS
8. Identify Resources and Funding versus BLS capabilities), weather, sanitation, disease, and
geographic considerations (rivers, mountains).
8.1 A successful PIER program must have a source of
9.2.8 Media Resources—These include type (radio, TV,
funding exclusively dedicated to PIER. Funding sources exist
print, public, private), availability, cost, public relations and
at federal, state, and local levels.
marketing firms, and contacts.
8.2 Greater expenditures may be required in areas where
9.2.9 Contributory Variables—These include adjoining
hard costs such as media space and time, and morbidity and
systems/resources, political and financial considerations, type
mortality from medical/trauma emergencies are higher than
and effectiveness of EMS management at all levels, and
national norms.
applicable regulatory factors.
9.3 Methods to Accomplish System Profile and Baseline
9. Develop System Profile and Identify Major Problem
Study:
Areas
9.3.1 Compile data already in existence from:
9.1 In developing the system profile you should utilize
9.3.1.1 Census,
existing data included in 9.2.1 to 9.3.1.10. If public perception
9.3.1.2 Vital statistics (health, government, and planning
data is not readily available it may be necessary to collect the
agencies, phone companies, realtors, and so forth),
data using a valid research methodology. Development of the
9.3.1.3 Commercial sources,
profile will enable PIER personnel to identify broad problem
ar
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