Doug Wolfberg

Doug Wolfberg is a founding partner of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, and one of the best known EMS attorneys and consultants in the United States. Widely regarded as the nation’s leading EMS law firm, PWW represents private, public and non-profit EMS organizations, as well as billing companies, software manufacturers and others that serve the nation’s ambulance industry. Doug answered his first ambulance call in 1978 and has been involved in EMS ever since. Doug became an EMT at age 16, and worked as an EMS provider in numerous volunteer and paid systems over the decades. Doug also served as an EMS educator and instructor for many years.

After earning his undergraduate degree in Health Planning and Administration from the Pennsylvania State University in 1987, Doug went to work as a county EMS director. He then became the director of a three-county regional EMS agency based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He then moved on to work for several years on the staff of the state EMS council. In 1993, Doug went to the nation’s capital to work at the United States Department of Health and Human Services, where he worked on federal EMS and trauma care issues. Doug left HHS to attend law school, and in 1996 graduated magna cum laude from the Widener University School of Law. After practicing for several years as a litigator and healthcare attorney in a large Philadelphia-based law firm, Doug co-founded PWW in 2000 along with Steve Wirth and the late James O. Page. As an attorney, Doug is a member of the Pennsylvania and New York bars, and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court as well as numerous Federal and state courts. He also teaches EMS law at the University of Pittsburgh, and teaches health law at the Widener University School of Law, where he is also a member of the school’s Board of Overseers.

Doug is a known as an engaging and humorous public speaker at EMS conferences throughout the United States. He is also a prolific author, having written books, articles and columns in many of the industry’s leading publications, and has been interviewed by national media outlets including National Public Radio and the Wall Street Journal on EMS issues. Doug is a Certified Ambulance Coder (CAC) and a founder of the National Academy of Ambulance Coding (NAAC). Doug also served as a Commissioner of the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS).

Dr. Keith Lurie

Dr. Keith Lurie is a practicing cardiac electrophysiologist and Professor of Internal and Emergency Medicine at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Lurie received his undergraduate education in architecture and molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale University and a medical degree from Stanford University. He then received his cardiology and electrophysiology training at the University of California in San Francisco. Dr. Lurie currently operates a federally funded research lab and has received multiple National Institute of Health and Defense Department grant awards, publishing over 200 peer-reviewed scientific articles. Considered an international expert in the field of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Dr. Lurie has served on the American Heart Association Basic Life Support subcommittee and was the co-founder of Take Heart America. Dr. Lurie will be speaking on advanced cardiac arrest research currently ongoing by him and his colleagues.

Brian S. Werfel, Esq.

Brian is a partner in Werfel & Werfel, PLLC, a New York based law firm specializing in Medicare issues related to the ambulance industry. Brian is a Medicare Consultant to the American Ambulance Association, and has authored numerous articles on Medicare reimbursement, most recently on issues such as the effect of the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act, the lifetime signature requirement, repeat admissions and interrupted stays. He is a frequent lecturer on issues of ambulance coverage and reimbursement. Brian is co-author of AAA’s Medicare Reference Manual for Ambulance, as well as the author of the AAA’s HIPAA Reference Manual. Brian is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Columbia School of Law. Prior to joining the firm in 2005, he specialized in mergers & acquisitions and commercial real estate at a prominent New York law firm. Werfel & Werfel, PLLC was founded by David M. Werfel, who has been the Medicare Consultant to the American Ambulance Association for over 20 years.

Dr. David Powers

Dr. David Powers is an adventurer, philosopher, and cultural architect. Considered a human puzzlemaster, he has a penchant for assembling random bits and bytes into workable solutions. He is a best-selling author in cognitive psychology, experimental education, adventure travel, and martial arts. He is a decorated veteran of the Marine Corps and a founding member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He is married and the proud father of three feral boys and one princess that he and his wife homeschool. His mission in life is to find the magical best mug of coffee in the world.

Rick SyWassink

Rick SyWassink holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice/Homeland Security as well as a designation of Diplomate, American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators which he obtained after completion of the St Louis University Medical Legal Death Investigation course. He has over 30 years of death investigation experience as a Special Agent Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and as a Medical Examiner Investigator for several medical examiner offices in Iowa.

Rick has trained several thousand EMS, law enforcement, medical examiner/coroner, and firefighter personnel nationwide in Crime Scene Management and associated topics through presentations at volunteer responder meetings to statewide EMS and coroner’s conferences and the National Disaster Life Support Foundation.

He also serves as an intelligence officer with the National Mass Fatalities Training Institute, Ft. Collins, Colorado and served on a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) and Disaster Mortuary Operations Response Team (DMORT 7) during Hurricane Katrina.

Rick currently is an instructor at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota where he instructs in the Criminal Justice department and will be completing a Master of Science in Forensic Science by the end of 2017. His previous instructor experience has spanned a total of 15 years for several universities and colleges

Mike Miller, EdD, MS, BSEMS, RN, NRP

Mike is an assistant professor and director of Creighton's Emergency Medical Services Education Program. He has thirty years of experience in EMS, currently serving as assistant professor and EMS Education Program Director at Creighton University, where he joined the EMS Program in 2002. He has practiced as a paramedic and registered nurse, worked as a field paramedic, paramedic shift supervisor, quality improvement coordinator, EMS system program director, emergency department RN, and trauma program coordinator.

Other professional activities include Site Visitor for the Committee on Accreditation for EMS Programs, member of the Nebraska Board of EMS and former member of  the Board of Directors for the National Association of EMS Educators. Mike has served as a contributing author and as a reviewer for numbers EMS publications. Educational accomplishments include Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership, Bachelor of Science in EMS, and a Master of Science Degree in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Creighton University School of Law, Werner Institute.

Illinois Heart Rescue- Resuscitation Academy

This one day, high paced workshop is for anyone and everyone who is part of the chain of survival. From dispatchers, to First Responders, to Advanced Life Support personnel, to ED EMS coordinators, staff nurses and physicians to in- hospital critical care nurses and physicians, we have something for you! Our goal is that every attendee walk away with new ideas, concepts and techniques that you can implement in your daily practice immediately!

The Illinois Heart Rescue project is funded by a five-year grant from the Medtronic Foundation with the goal of substantially increasing survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest throughout the country.  Illinois is the newest state to join the Heart Rescue network, bringing the total to eight.   ILHR has a full-time Project Director, and a Data Manager.   The remainder of the team are all volunteers that are dedicated to improving outcomes.  The team includes doctors, nurses, students and healthcare professionals, all with a passion to create a system of care that strengthens the links in a chain of survival.

Anthony Minge, MBA

Mr. Minge has an extensive background in healthcare finance specializing in managing billing and collections functions in multiple areas including pharmacy, home health, hospital, lab and ground and air medical transport. Prior to joining the firm, he was the business manager for Northwest Medstar in Spokane, Wash., one of the largest air medical programs in the Pacific Northwest. His background also includes serving as business manager of Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, one of the nation’s busiest children’s specialty transport services.

Mr. Minge has been directly involved in the development and management of ground and air services for hospital based and stand-alone ambulance services for a number of years. He served as both finance committee chair and faculty for transport conferences and guest lecturer for coding and medical documentation training programs. He has served on state and regional advisory councils in Washington and Texas for ambulance services and safety/injury prevention committees.

Mr. Minge earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas, and an MBA in Strategic Leadership from Amberton University in Garland, Texas. He is currently completing his dissertation for a doctorate degree in organizational leadership.

Brian Choate

Brian, Founder and Managing Director of Solutions Group, based in Fort Worth, Texas has a diverse background consisting of 18 years of finance, technology and healthcare revenue cycle.  Brian serves as faculty for the American Ambulance Association’s regional workshops and annual conference each year, and frequently speaks at state and national EMS conferences on reimbursement topics. Brian is often referred to as an “innovator”, an encourager, a “true” vendor partner and friend to EMS, but his personal favorite is “Dad". Brian is family man: father of two boys - 18 & 4, and has a beautiful 2 year old daughter that has him wrapped around the little finger of her purple monkey (pause) named Chewy.

Pat Songer, Chair NAEMSMA Practitioner Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee

Pat Songer is an Administrative Director and Chief of EMS at Humboldt General Hospital a rural Critical Access Hospital in Winnemucca, Nevada. Mr. Songer is a veteran EMS leader with more than 25 years of EMS experience. Mr. Songer is thought of as one of our country’s most proactive and innovative rural EMS managers and thought leaders. Mr. Songer’s leadership in Winnemucca has equated to one of the country’s most paramount EMS systems, despite being located in some of the most rural and frontier areas. Humboldt General Hospital’s EMS Department – HGH EMS Rescue is an all hazards, integrated healthcare organization that provides ground, air, and rescue services. Mr. Songer has been awarded both JEMS Innovator of the year award, and was the Chair of the NEMSMA’s Practitioner Mental Health and Wellbeing that received the James O Page EMS Leadership award.

Teri Campbell

Teri Campbell is a Flight Nurse for the University of Chicago.  She has been a nurse for over 30 years.  (She is not sure how that happened....)  Teri started out as a High Risk Labor and Delivery Nurse and then worked in ED/Trauma and finally has been flying for the past 16 years.  As a result of her clinical background she is able to translate OB pearls to Prehospital/ED/Trauma providers alike.

David Wampler, Ph.D., LP

David is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Health Sciences with the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. He spent a large part of his 25 year career as a firefighter/paramedic for the Kerrville Fire Department (TX) and more recently with the university. He currently directs the clinical research program for the Office of the Medical Director for the San Antonio Fire Department and has more than 40 published articles and abstracts. Dr. Wampler is the principle investigator on several active research projects including two randomized control trials, and an investigation into the efficacy of the Impedance Threshold Device in the spontaneously breathing hypotensive patient.