"Each section [of Sick Not Sick] is well written and rich with illustrations, photos, and case histories to support the teaching points for medical, trauma, and pediatric patients...Sick Not Sick would make a very worthy addition to any first responder, EMT, paramedic, or EMS organization's resource library."

EMS Magazine, June 2003

"Sick Not Sick is a great patient assessment book that can be used in most of our courses. This book is a great educational resource tool!" 

Jamie Kitchen, Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, MI 

"When describing Sick Not Sick to others I often say that it is 'real world' EMS, meaning that it came from the streets.  This concept of rapid patient assessment has been more than four years in the making and distills more than 20 years of field experience into it.  This programs was born out of the need to focus the EMS provider into making rapid, accurate assessment decisions within a minute of patient contact.  This rapid decision making helps guide the remaining 15-minute window that many EMS professionals have to perform their skills! 

The Sick Not Sick program was first introduced in King County, Washington and taught to both the Bellevue and Seattle Fire Departments as part of their continuing emergency medical education program.  The success of Sick Not Sick was immediate and quickly spread to surrounding departments and eventually across the State of Washington. 

My only hope is that you too will find this as helpful as others have.  Our goal in EMS has forever been clear...'take care of others as though they were part of your family.'  Using that approach and the Sick Not Sick concept, your decisions will be rapid, accurate, and patient-care directed.  Be safe. . . 

-Mike Helbock, M.I.C.P.
Author of Sick Not Sick