Inside Ted Tenaglia’s Work as a Medical Technician

Modern Health Care systems rely heavily upon medical technicians which serve even as the first point of contact during emergencies, while supporting the goals of accuracy, safety and efficiency throughout all levels of the Medical response. The role encompasses not only the technical skill sets to respond to medical emergencies, but also includes having to be able to make decisions under duress, coordinate their response with other healthcare team members, and adhere to established clinical protocols and procedures.

Ted Tenaglia, a Gainesville, Florida-based medical technician and emergency responder, is just one example of a professional who has recognized how our current healthcare environment continues to transform and evolve and has taken on the responsibility of educating himself to build a new and improved skillset to better serve our patients.

Tenaglia is an EMT and Firefighter I & II trained healthcare professional currently employed with the City of Gainesville. He represents a new generation of medical technician who has effectively bridged the gap between the operational demands of frontline emergency response assistance with the administrative side of healthcare in a highly functional manner. Tenaglia holds Firefighter I & II certifications and an EMT certification from Florida State Fire College and has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire and Emergency Services from the University of Florida and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from the University of Central Florida. All of this has positioned him squarely at the intersection of clinical service and health care leadership.

Ted Tenaglia started his professional life in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he gained experience in both leadership and discipline through education. He completed his studies at the University of Florida with a Cum Laude degree and worked as a firefighter for the City of Gainesville throughout his academic career. In hopes of learning more about the healthcare industry, Tenaglia went on to earn a Master’s degree in Health Administration. While still working in emergency medicine, he obtained additional certification in healthcare quality, safety, and financial operations, which allowed him to expand his professional capabilities beyond emergency medical services.

Ted Tenaglia is looking forward to pursuing a career in healthcare administration; his goal is to use the experiences he gained as a front-line worker to develop policies and procedures and create efficiencies in operation as well as develop patient-focused initiatives. Tenaglia believes that emergency medical service responders should have a voice in how healthcare systems are developed, and he plans to accomplish this by combining his emergency medical service experience with strategic leadership within the healthcare industry. As a result, through continuing to serve, learn, and grow professionally in the field of emergency medical services, Tenaglia’s experiences illustrate how medical technicians can develop into individual healthcare leaders who will shape the future of patient care.