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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency medical services

Sustainable Rural EMS: Navigating Change
Designed to help rural communities navigate a change from unsustainable volunteer emergency medical services (EMS) and ambulance service models to those that are sustainable. Intended to direct community leaders through change based on a stepped process that has been used in rural communities throughout the U.S. Includes information on how to assess whether a community has an EMS problem, ingredients needed to change, and a process to implement change to a more sustainable model of rural EMS.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Air Ambulance Use and Surprise Billing
Provides an overview of air ambulance services, including the types and number of air ambulance providers and suppliers, utilization rates by patients, average costs, and the potential for balance billing for air ambulance transport. Summarizes key policies and legislation related to air ambulances, including the No Surprises Act. Presents data on air ambulance utilization by rurality between 2014-2018.
Author(s): Gina Turrini, Joel Ruhter, Andre R. Chappel, Nancy De Lew
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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COVID-19 Funding Sources Impacting Rural Providers
Reference guide to help rural healthcare providers navigate federal COVID-19 response and recovery funding. Includes tables identifying eligibility by provider type and how funds can be spent. Provides an overview of each funding opportunity and reporting requirements.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Disparities in Emergency Medical Services Time Intervals for Patients with Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome: Findings from the North Carolina Prehospital Medical Information System
Study of EMS response, scene, and transport times for suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in North Carolina using North Carolina Prehospital Medical Information System data from 2011 to 2017. Examines patient demographics, including age, sex, race, and ethnicity, and breaks down response, scene, and transport times by urban, suburban, and rural location.
Author(s): Eric R. Cui, Antonio R. Fernandez, Jessica K. Zegre-Hemsey, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 10(15), e019305
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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Innovations in Overdose Response: Strategies Implemented by Emergency Medical Services Providers
Reports on the findings of an environmental scan conducted in collaboration with the National Association of EMS Officials looking for new and promising overdose response strategies for state and local EMS providers to increase access to treatment and recovery services. Discusses sharing data for public health surveillance and response, building system-wide partnerships, administering buprenorphine, developing post-overdose response teams, utilizing mobile integrated health clinics, and implementation barriers to be considered.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Community Paramedicine Impact Reference Guide
Spreadsheet identifying journal articles that describe the impact of community paramedicine (CP) programs. Includes the article citation, a brief abstract, program services and impacts, and the country where it was implemented. Covers CP program impacts for patients, healthcare systems, healthcare providers, payers, and other stakeholders.
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, Paramedic Foundation
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Arizona READI
Discusses the Arizona Rural EMS Advanced Telemedicine Demonstration Initiative (AzREADI) program, which uses telemedicine to support rural emergency services by connecting EMS with physicians during service calls. Discusses challenges of providing EMS services in rural Arizona.
Date: 05/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Public Media
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Rural and Urban Experiences with EMS Overdose Treatment
Results of a survey of 90 urban and rural emergency medical service (EMS) providers practicing in Indiana during the period from November 2020 to March 2021, to determine how many training hours they receive and how comfortable they are with treating opioid overdoses and general drug overdoses. Features survey responses with breakdowns by urban and rural location. Poster presented at the 2021 RTT Collaborative Annual Meeting.
Author(s): Brycen Ratcliffe, Robin Danek, Ellen Ireland, Eric Reyes
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University School of Medicine
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Rural EMS Workforce: A Call to Action
Policy brief discussing rural emergency medical services (EMS) systems. Highlights challenges facing the rural EMS workforce, including the costs of training and reimbursement concerns. Outlines policy recommendations to strengthen rural EMS systems.
Author(s): Christopher McLaughlin, Olivia Riutta, Jonnathan Busko
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Frontline Presence, Building Trust, Emergency Preparedness, and Lessons Learned: Q&A with Dr. Tim Putnam
An interview with Tim Putnam sharing rural health leadership insights from his experiences as a rural hospital CEO, a member of a White House task force, and in an academic healthcare policy position.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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