CALS was already becoming better known throughout the United States and the world. The CALS faculty has conducted the trauma module and provider course in 10 other states and three Canadian provinces, and CALS has become the chosen advanced life support course for medical personnel in U.S. Department of State embassies.

Within this framework, the idea came forth in 2012 that one way for ACEP to help improve rural emergency care was to support the spread of CALS throughout the nation. The CALS Board of Directors in Minnesota is in the process of establishing a national CALS organization to act as an umbrella to oversee a collection of chapters. The ACEP Board of Directors arranged to have the CALS curriculum evaluated by a team of experts, and the results were positive. Then the ACEP Board agreed to help fund demonstration projects to evaluate the feasibility of forming a state chapter. Montana Chapter ACEP jumped at the chance. ACEP provided a $12,500 grant to help offset the additional costs of bringing Minnesota instructors to Montana. This was supplemented by a $3,000 grant from Montana Chapter ACEP. And here we are: three successful courses and more planned.

What Are the Next Steps?

There is much to do in addition to putting on more courses in more areas of the state. We need to engage with the Montana Academy of Family Physicians, Montana Nurses Association, Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants, and MHA–An Association of Montana Health Care Providers. We need to develop grant proposals and work to get funding for our own equipment, transport vehicles, and scholarships to help defray tuition costs. We need CALS to be approved by our hospitals as a viable alternative to recertification in ACLS, ATLS, PALS, and NRP. Montana CALS ultimately will need a real home and administrative staff. But for now, it is enough that the seed has sprouted and taken root. Thanks to the water and fertilizer provided by ACEP, Montana CALS is growing fast and strong.

Dr. Gallea is chair of the department of emergency services at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, Montana; Vice-President of the Montana Medical Association; and Immediate Past-President of the Montana Chapter of ACEP.