Thursday, April 23, 2026

8:30 am - Registration, Exhibitor Set up and Continental Breakfast

9:00 am - HIPAA : The Latest and Greatest

Doug Wolfberg, Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC

After a period of inactivity, stuff is finally happening in HIPAA Land!  This session will update you on new requirements for your Notice of Privacy Practices, examine some recent HIPAA enforcement actions and lay out some best practices for every EMS agency to maintain privacy and security compliance.

10:00 - 10:15 am - Break

10:15 - 11:15 am - AI in EMS: Implementing Legal and Ethical Guardrails       

Doug Wolfberg, Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC         

AI applications are changing everyday life – and EMS is no exception.  AI is proving to be a game changer in generating clinical EMS documentation, in coding and billing, and in a myriad of administrative tasks.  As beneficial and efficient as AI can be, there are some very important legal and ethical issues that EMS leaders must know in their use of AI. This session will address emerging AI uses in EMS, and lay out some legal, privacy and ethical guardrails that every EMS agency using AI should implement.

11:15 - 11:30 am Break

11:30 - 12:30 pm - The New DEA Regulations: Controlled Substances Compliance in EMS

Doug Wolfberg, Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC  

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has recently released some long-awaited new regulations that, for the first time, create an EMS-specific DEA registration category.  This important session will review the new regulations and discuss issues including drug restocking, medical director engagement, hospital affiliations and more.  Critical issues like controlled substances recordkeeping, theft prevention and more will also be discussed.

12:30 - 1:30 pm - Lunch (included)

1:30 - 2:00 pm - AAP Annual Meeting 

The AAP has been hard at work making progress on several key pieces of legislation and other projects.  Celebrate the AAP's 40th birthday!

2:00 - 3:00 pm - Sticker Shock

Ken Davidson, Second Alarmers Rescue Squad

Frequently complaints are triggered by a patient receiving a bill but that does not always mean the complaint is only because of the bill. In this session we will examine complaints received from patients after they have received a bill and how those complaints may differ from complaints expressed immediately or shortly after receiving service.  We will discuss strategies of how to break complaints down to determine if they are based solely on the bill, on clinical care, on service, or on a combination of these and best practices for handling and resolving these complaints.  

3:15 pm - 3:30 pm - Break

3:30 - 4:30 pm - Filing a Medicare Appeal

Kim Walk, AmbCoach, Inc.

4:30 - 4:45 pm - Break

4:45 - 5:45 - Resiliency: Leadership challenges and opportunities

Carl Flores, NRP

This presentation discusses the challenges faced in rebuilding New Orleans to a leader in prehospital care following Hurricane Katrina. Learn about the importance of partnerships, downline logistics and servant leadership that are needed to maintain the resilience of both the department and the team.

5:45 - 8:00 pm - Dinner sponsored by:

Friday, April 24, 2026

8:30 am - Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 am - Saving Lives Isn’t Enough: Why EMS Must Speak Up                

Eric Schmidt, Shaler Hampton EMS

All of us involved in EMS understand the challenges facing our profession—though often from different perspectives. This session highlights “teachable moments” EMS providers can use to explain what modern EMS truly does—it’s far more than just a ride—and why the challenges facing our profession have never been more important to communicate. Participants will learn how to effectively share the realities of EMS with family members, community leaders, and local elected officials, and how thoughtful advocacy can help protect and sustain EMS systems in their communities.

10:00-10:15 am Break

10:15 - 11:15 am - There's a Whole in the Bucket

Ken Davidson, Second Alarmers Rescue Squad

This interactive session takes a look at the flow of funding into and out from EMS agencies and involves attendees working together and making decisions along the way to help raise and maintain the level in the giant bucket of money.  We will begin with the basics of funding generated by calls and routine expenses such as payroll and fleet and then face tougher challenges like expanded revenue streams and hidden and unplanned costs.  Which will run out first, our time together or the bucket of money?

11:15 - 11:30 am Break

11:30 - 12:30 pm - Novitas Solutions Annual Medicare Update

Gail Atnip, Education and Outreach Specialist

12:30 - 1:30 pm - Lunch (included)

1:30 - 2:30 pm - AI in EMS: Transforming Billing, Coding, and Reimbursement

Nidhish Dhru, CEO – Huly

This session explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping EMS billing and reimbursement processes. From automating documentation review and coding accuracy to reducing claim denials and accelerating revenue cycles, AI is enabling EMS organizations to improve efficiency and financial performance. Attendees will gain practical insights into real-world applications of AI, including validation of clinical data, compliance checks, and intelligent workflows that support faster and more accurate reimbursements. The session will also address challenges, implementation considerations, and the future role of AI in EMS operations.

2:30 to 2:45 pm - Break

2:45 - 3:45 pm - Billing Essentials & Real-World Challenges: What You Need to Know Now

Steve Christian, FirstStates Financial Services

Join us for a practical, interactive session designed to strengthen your billing knowledge and address the issues that matter most. We’ll break down the key elements you must have in place for accurate, compliant billing, highlight the most common challenges organizations have faced over the past year, and invite you to share your own experiences and pain points. You’ll also walk away with proven best practices you can apply immediately—whether your billing is handled in-house or outsourced. For those working with third-party billing companies, we’ll cover the critical information and responsibilities that still fall on your team to ensure success. Come ready to learn, share, and leave with solutions you can use right away.