What is the role of Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) when a relative wants to inform a school about a 7-year-old patient's febrile seizure condition?

EMD Role in Medical Information Disclosure

The EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch) should advise the relative to obtain consent before sharing the patient's medical information with the school. 1, 2

Understanding the EMD's Scope and Limitations

The role of Emergency Medical Dispatch is fundamentally limited to emergency response coordination, not medical information management or privacy counseling. The evidence clearly delineates EMD responsibilities:

• EMD's primary function is emergency identification and response coordination, including recognizing stroke signs, dispatching appropriate units, and providing pre-arrival instructions to callers 3
• EMD communicators serve to collect vital prehospital information necessary for determining transport destinations and treatment, but this is strictly within the context of active emergency response 3
• EMD systems coordinate with schools regarding emergency response plans, including notification protocols and emergency contact information, but this relates to emergency preparedness, not post-event information sharing 3

Why Consent Advice is the Appropriate EMD Response

The EMD should advise obtaining consent because medical information disclosure requires proper authorization, even in school settings. This aligns with established healthcare privacy principles:

• Schools require specific medical information about children with special healthcare needs or life-threatening complications, but this information should come through proper channels with parental consent and physician guidance 3
• The American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Emergency Physicians developed standardized Emergency Information Forms specifically to facilitate appropriate information sharing between healthcare providers, parents, and schools 3
• Written notification protocols should specify when and how parents and school personnel are contacted, emphasizing the structured, consent-based nature of medical information sharing 3

Critical Distinction: Emergency Response vs. Information Sharing

A common pitfall is conflating EMD's emergency response role with ongoing medical information management:

• During active emergencies, EMD coordinates immediate response without consent requirements, as this falls under implied consent for emergency care 3
• Post-emergency information sharing to schools is a separate matter requiring explicit consent and proper documentation 3
• The healthcare provider guiding the child's care should provide information to school personnel about emergency actions, not the EMD 3

Practical Algorithm for This Scenario

When a relative contacts EMD about sharing febrile seizure information with school:

1. Acknowledge the concern but clarify that EMD's role is emergency response, not medical information management 3
2. Advise obtaining consent from the patient's parents/guardians before sharing any medical information with the school 3
3. Recommend the relative work with the child's physician to complete appropriate school notification forms, such as the Emergency Information Form 3
4. Suggest the school nurse be the primary recipient of medical information, as they are responsible for interpreting emergency information and developing individual emergency care plans 3

Why the Other Options Are Inappropriate

Option B (advising to share information directly) violates privacy principles and exceeds EMD's scope of practice, as medical information disclosure requires proper authorization 3

Option C (advising not to inform the school) is potentially harmful, as schools benefit from knowing about conditions like febrile seizures to provide appropriate emergency response, but this should occur through proper consent-based channels 3, 1