Recognition As Vital As Preparation

Quite uniquely, Pafford MedComm handles emergencies spanning a service area of three states in the U.S.: Arkansas (service population 771,167), Oklahoma (service population 343,632), and Mississippi (service population 112,011). The majority of callers speak English or Spanish, with translation services utilized for a small population of callers that speak Marshallese.

When the summer-scorching humidity hits, Arkansas welcomes a wide variety of visitors dipping into their beautiful lakes, including Lake Ouachita, Beaver Lake, Greers Ferry Lake, Lake Greeson, DeGray Lake, Lake Hamilton, and Norfork Lake. The population shifts seasonally with students filling the campuses of the University of Arkansas, Henderson State University, and Ouachita Baptist University, to name a few.

A state away is where tourists with a passion for music flock to visit the fascinating home of the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Mississippi. The museum is a celebration of American music and the influential role of locally-born musicians who have made history, including, most notably, Johnny Cash—country (13 wins), Al Green—R&B (11 wins), Glen Campbell—country (6 wins), and even the rock band Evanescence (2 wins).¹

Driving along the historic “Mother Road,” Route 66, Oklahoma has the largest stretch of the iconic highway—400 miles of classic diners, roadside attractions, and museums dedicated to its history.²  

Back in Arkansas is another popular historical landmark: the white two-story boyhood home of 42nd United States President Bill Clinton. He still refers to it as “home,” saying “In many ways, I know that all I am or ever will be came from here."³

Only a couple of miles down the street in Hope, Arkansas, is the Pafford Medical Services comm. center (Pafford MedComm), operating since 1967 as a proud provider of high-quality, pre-hospital emergency medical care across the South—responding to over 350,000 service requests each year.⁴

As a horizontal center, Pafford MedComm separates the roles of their 30 calltakers and 40 dispatchers, each rotating a 2-2-3 schedule (2 on, 2 off, 3 on—2 off, 2 on, 3 off) of 12-hour shifts at 5:45 a.m./p.m. To communicate with first responders, Pafford MedComm dispatchers utilize three statewide Wireless Information Network (WIN) radio systems for first responders, abbreviated as AWIN, OWIN, and MISWIN.

“Amazingly, with our range, our communication to our crewmembers is as clear as someone sitting right next to you,” said Crystal Gray, Pafford MedComm Director of Communications.

Setting sights on ACE
Pafford MedComm’s desire to be distinguished aligned well with the standard-setting International Academies of Emergency Dispatch^® (IAED^™), which led them to adopt the Medical Priority Dispatch System^™ (MPDS^®) in 2018. The staff were well trained to use the flip card system, but when they traded it in for the digital ProQA^® software, the goal of accreditation became the next benchmark dangling before them.

“We went from self-navigation to being held to a higher standard or we couldn’t go any further,” Gray said. “As Chief Training Officer at that time, I recall a calltaker asking why he couldn’t enter in a childbirth Chief Complaint, but the “male” gender had been selected. We had a lot of learning to do.”

Still, their decision to pursue the distinction of becoming an Accredited Center of Excellence was driven by three intertwined Ps: 
•    Patience with the process
•    belief in the People 
•    Proof of what they could accomplish

To Gray, investing in the accreditation process not only meant boosting the perception of their center, but it also helped establish a framework to invest in the professional growth and recognized expertise of the first, first responder on a national stage.

“Striving to meet high compliance standards through the accreditation process required giving ample quality assurance feedback, investing in continuing dispatch education, and pursuing advancement paths, all of which have noticeably boosted morale and attention,” Gray said. “The pursuit of ACE perfectly aligned with our mission to deliver world-class care from the moment the phone rings. Now we can measure our accountability.”

Though it took focus to break old habits, Pafford MedComm calltakers learned to rely more on the Protocol, such as asking separate questions as to whether the patient is awake and breathing. Extensive training helped bring up their compliance numbers, little by little.

“You can tell someone to do something, and you can beat it down,” Gray said. “But getting our calltakers  to follow through when there is less supervision requires trust and follow through. Each team member plays their part in their commitment. If you don’t have everybody with the same mindset, then you aren’t going to achieve it.”

Investing efforts 
With ACE as the goal, training provided a pathway. Pafford MedComm developed a training program, utilizing a mock ProQA system that simulated exact tools and scenarios for the trainee to practice calltaking, dispatching, geocoding, etc. “We included real calls, where the language and local vernacular is different among the southern states,” Gray said. Monopolizing on each shift’s competitive desire to outperform the others, they posted (anonymous) shift compliance numbers to encourage healthy motivation.

Investing in their personal performance helped calltakers   to feel like a significant asset to their team. In fact, that team feeling is what keeps them thriving in a fast-paced and high-stress position. In a poll regarding workplace satisfaction, one employee said, “My favorite thing is the people. We may drive each other crazy at times, but we’re here to support each other, hurt together, and celebrate together. Who can make you want to pull your hair out one moment and happy dance another? Family.”

Working toward accreditation percolated a growth mindset where the staff not only grew in their professional roles but also as humans learning what they were capable of. That’s where Gray says recognition is just as vital as each team member’s preparation, training, and personal effort.

Beyond awarding a calltaker   of the month and highlighting stork and CPR saves, Pafford MedComm likes to blast their social media with the good news of a job well done so the applause is shared. Additionally, they sponsor monthly giveaways of incentives such as a professional photo package, a family trip to the water park, or a nice cooler for gatherings, encouraging their lucky team members to enjoy their time with loved ones. “We want to see them bonding with fun and fulfillment beyond the stress they inevitably take home with them at times,” Gray said.

Sharing achievement
On Jan. 27, 2022, the Pafford Medical Services comm. center staff was officially congratulated on their accreditation, a proud recognition for their united efforts. The celebration commenced with a week-long feast and a social media ACE declaration that received such pride from the communities they serve.

Surprisingly, recognizing the elite efforts of the Pafford MedComm staff only made compliance rise afterward. On March 17, 2025, they were re-accredited, showing a commitment to continue to exceed all expectations.
 
“There might have been one person to accept that official ACE award on behalf of the whole center,” Gray said. “But that person doesn’t take credit for it. It’s always been about everyone.”

For Gray, the difference in the comm. center “before ACE” and “after ACE” is a wild and worthwhile endeavor. “We’ve done more than earn a badge to show the world,” she said. “We have the confidence that we’re offering the highest quality service to every single person who calls the center, and they deserve that.”

Sources
1.    Ringo, B. “The history of Arkansans winning big at the Grammy Awards.” 2025; Mar 2.
https://www.kark.com/entertainment-news/the-history-of-arkansans-winning-big-at-the-grammy-awards/ (accessed Aug. 15, 2025).

2.    “Historic Oklahoma US 66 Route.” Oklahoma Route 66 Association. https://oklahomaroute66.com/finding-your-way (accessed Aug. 15, 2025).

3.    “President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home.” National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.nps.gov/wicl/index.htm (accessed Aug. 15, 2025).

4.    “About Pafford.” Pafford Medical Services. https://www.paffordems.com/about/pafford (accessed Aug. 15, 2025).