Medical Program Director
Dr. Paul Zaveruha, AKA Doc. "Z"
Dr. Paul Zaveruha, AKA Doc. "Z" has lived and has had his general surgical practice on Whidbey Island for many years. He has been intimately involved with, and a major driving force behind the continued development of emergency prehospital care and the ambulance service on Whidbey Island since arriving here with his wife and family in 1983. Doc "Z" has been the legally state designated Medical Program Director (MPD), for Whidbey Island since 1985. Dr. Zaveruha is also currently serving on WGH's hospital board of directors.
What is an MPD?
When paramedics or EMT's arrive to assist you, perform advanced life saving procedures, or administer drugs, they are liscened professionals working under the authority and liscencesure of a State designated MPD. The MPD's role is to ensure that the EMT's and Paramedics caring for you are operating with in a pre-determined scope of practice and that they are following appropriate and well established nationally accepted protocols for standards of care and "best practices". These roles and responsibilites are defined in WAC 246.976.920 and RCW 18.71.205 as put into law by the Washington State Legislature.