Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Medicine will continue to provide medical consultation and education to Carroll County’s Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
The Board of Carroll County Commissioners at their meeting Thursday unanimously approved renewal of the county’s contract with Johns Hopkins and increased the amount it pays the medical director from $96,000 to no higher than $115,200.
“This will be the third fiscal year of the contract under Johns Hopkins,” Michael Robinson Sr., the chief and director of the county’s Department of Fire and EMS said. “I don’t think we need to discuss the credibility of Johns Hopkins, being the premier medical facility in the country.
“Under their Department of Emergency Medicine, they provide us with the operational medical director, which is required under COMAR, to provide emergency medical services.”
The Code of Maryland Regulations, often referred to as COMAR, is the official compilation of all administrative regulations issued by agencies of the state of Maryland.
Dr. Stephanie Kemp, an instructor with Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Medicine’s Division of Special Operations Program, will continue to serve as Carroll’s operational medical director. She is not a county employee.
“This will be her third year,” Robinson said. “She’s extremely dedicated. She also provides on-scene medical support as needed for real critical incidents, which is going to allow us to go further with her educational responsibilities, as we enhance our standard of care among our advanced life support paramedics.”
The salary for the director works out to $192 per hour, 12 hours per week for 50 weeks, according to a county briefing paper. The funds are approved in the fiscal 2025 budget, which starts July 1.
This is not the first contract increase with the hospital. In July 2022, commissioners approved the first contract with Johns Hopkins for $52,000 annually to support an operational medical director position in the fire and EMS. In July 2023, commissioners agreed to renew the contract and increase the amount it pays to $96,000 for the current fiscal year.
A medical director is required by state law. Until July 2022, the medical director was contracted by Carroll County Volunteer Emergency Services Association. The county has since assumed responsibility for employing an individual to serve in this role.
“We’re going to be adding some additional skills,” Robinson said. “Our quality assurance needs have increased as our call volume increases. We’re going to find in this [upcoming] fiscal year, with the additional employees, that’s going to require some more attention from the medical director. We’re still getting a value-added deal from Johns Hopkins. And again, you can’t question the credibility and efficiency of what that organization provides to us.”
Commissioners made no comment when they renewed the contract.
In October 2020, commissioners voted unanimously to create the county’s first combination fire and emergency medical services department. The department has been working to bring together Carroll’s 14 community fire companies under a county-administered department with paid staff.
