David R. Boyd papers

Collection

Identifier: HMD MS ACC 2012-019

Abstract

UNPROCESSED COLLECTION. Contents are all published books.

Dates

1970-2000s

Extent

2.9 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

Creator

Boyd, David R. (David Ross), 1937- (Person)

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Access Restrictions

Unprocessed collection. Access is restricted. See Reference Librarian for information regarding access.

Copyright and Re-use Information

Donor's copyrights were transferred to the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.

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Biographical/Historical Note

David R. Boyd, MDCM, has been a leader in the field of emergency medical services systems (EMSS) in the United States since the 1960s. As a surgical resident, he held the first Shock Trauma fellowship at the Maryland Institute for EMSS, and went on to become the first resident director of the fledgling trauma unit at Chicago's Cook County Hospital. In 1970, Boyd developed a statewide EMSS plan that categorized all of county's state hospitals in a three-tier system (regional, area-wide, and local). Subsequently, as Emergency Medical Director and Disaster Officer for Illinois he implemented the EMSS plan state-wide and added new categories of essential personnel, new training opportunities, new ambulance standards, and a pioneering helicopter program. His MERCI (Medical Emergency Radio Communications of Illinois) system linked communication capabilities between fire, police, emergency and disaster agencies. In 1972, Boyd and his colleagues won a Federal contract to expand the Illinois system beyond trauma care This led to the EMS Systems Act of 1973 (PL 93-154). In 1974, President Ford appointed Boyd as National Director of Emergency Medical Services Systems. This agency provided grants, technical assistance, and a uniform operations structure for EMSS in a comprehensive national program. In 1983, Boyd left the federal government and ran a private EMSS consulting firm. In 1991 he returned to clinical practice and became the General Surgeon for the Blackfeet Nation. From 2006 to 2012, Boyd served as the National Trauma Systems Coordinator in the Indian Health Service.