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Commissioner seeks new local EMS medical director; Dr. Grant Barker presents credentials, board asks for contract draft and resume
Summary
Commissioner Bennett said Baker County should replace its remote medical director with a local, hands‑on physician. Dr. Grant Barker of Ed Fraser Memorial Hospital introduced himself; the board asked staff to prepare a contract and requested Barker’s resume and a draft agreement for the next meeting.
Commissioner Dodd Bennett told the board Aug. 12 he wants a local emergency‑medical services medical director for Baker County and proposed Dr. Grant Barker, an emergency physician who already works at Ed Fraser Memorial Hospital and provides local clinical oversight.
Bennett said the county’s current medical director visits infrequently and that a local director could provide more direct oversight, increased field training, and closer protocol development and quality assurance with Baker County Fire & Rescue. He asked staff to prepare a proposed contract and return to the board at the next meeting with Dr. Barker’s resume and a draft agreement so a transition could be completed by Oct. 1 if the board approves.
Dr. Grant Barker introduced his background: board‑certified emergency physician, University of Florida graduate training, emergency residency in Jacksonville, clinical practice at Ed Fraser, experience as a medical director for other EMS services and as an air medical medical director, and co‑ownership of an ambulance service in Georgia (Dr. Barker stated his Georgia service is not licensed in Florida). He described his duties (developing protocols, quality assurance, credentialing oversight, required direct contact time with field providers) and explained that Florida statute guidance for EMS medical directors is found in the state administrative code (meeting discussion referenced “64J”). He also discussed federal legal limits that prevent a medical director from directing hospital transfer destinations or engaging in improper referral incentives.
Hospital staff spoke in support: Erin Maxley, chief nursing officer, and Cheryl Kennedy, ED nurse manager, told the board Dr. Barker regularly engages with staff, provides clinical oversight and training, and has a local presence that they praised. The board requested a resume and asked staff to draft a contract specifying expectations (quarterly reporting, minimum field contact and training commitments, and clear administrative duties) and to return the draft for board review.
Compensation and contract specifics discussed: Commissioner Bennett said the current long‑standing director arrangement effectively costs the county about $30,000–$36,000 when insurance and retirement are included. Bennett proposed a straight contract price of $36,000 for the full local medical director role; board members asked staff to collect comparable contracts and to include required state standards (for example the minimum direct contact hours) in the draft.
Next steps: staff to prepare a written contract with duties and reporting expectations, receive and circulate Dr. Barker’s CV/resume to the board, and return the draft for formal board action at the next meeting. The board did not take a final vote at this meeting; commissioners asked for the formal materials and asked staff to include comparable market information on compensation.
