Welcome to the Northwest Community EMS System
The Northwest Community System is composed of a Resource Hospital, five associate hospitals and twenty-four provider agencies covering the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Our EMS system has the distinction of being the first advanced life support sytem in the State of Illinois and the first multi-juristictional EMS system in the country. We encouter over 60,000 patients per year. Learn more about us...
System Memo #444 Issued
10/15/2026
NWC EMSS has revised Policies D-5, Illinois POLST and Advance Directive Guidelines, and C-6, EMS Controlled Substance Program, in response to recent policy and statutory changes affecting EMS practice. These revisions clarify EMS personnel responsibilities, provide guidance regarding the Illinois End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, and address controlled-substance wasting, disposal, documentation, and chain-of-custody procedures when interacting with receiving hospitals. All EMS agencies
and personnel are asked to review the revisions and ensure their practices are consistent with the updated policies.
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