Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency medical technicians and paramedics
Characteristics and Trends of Critical Access Hospitals That Own or Operate Ambulance Services
Explores trends in the number of Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based ambulance services between 2017 and 2022. Analyzes Medicare Cost Report data to compare the characteristics of of CAHs that own and operate ambulance services to CAHs that do not. Presents findings from interviews with eight CAH-based ambulance services regarding the challenges of operating these services, including workforce recruitment and retention issues, the role of partnerships and community involvement, and lessons learned.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores trends in the number of Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based ambulance services between 2017 and 2022. Analyzes Medicare Cost Report data to compare the characteristics of of CAHs that own and operate ambulance services to CAHs that do not. Presents findings from interviews with eight CAH-based ambulance services regarding the challenges of operating these services, including workforce recruitment and retention issues, the role of partnerships and community involvement, and lessons learned.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model: Final Evaluation Report
Presents quantitative and qualitative results from the evaluation of the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model, a voluntary model that allowed ambulance care teams to use alternate models of emergency healthcare to improve quality and lower care costs. Describes the characteristics of ET3 participants, the extent to which ET3 interventions successfully prevented emergency department (ED) visits, and how average Medicare Parts A and B spending for patients that received ET3 interventions compared to patients who had low acuity ED visits. Discusses challenges and barriers to delivering ET3 interventions. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendix
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Presents quantitative and qualitative results from the evaluation of the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model, a voluntary model that allowed ambulance care teams to use alternate models of emergency healthcare to improve quality and lower care costs. Describes the characteristics of ET3 participants, the extent to which ET3 interventions successfully prevented emergency department (ED) visits, and how average Medicare Parts A and B spending for patients that received ET3 interventions compared to patients who had low acuity ED visits. Discusses challenges and barriers to delivering ET3 interventions. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendix
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Workforce Toolkit to Support Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Providers
Toolkit intended to help Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers improve workforce recruitment and retention efforts. Provides information on healthcare workforce challenges faced by CAHs. Offers examples of external resources that CAHs may utilize to address their workforce needs across four topics: organizational culture and leadership, leveraging partnerships, emergency medical services workforce, and administrative and support staff workforce.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Toolkit intended to help Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers improve workforce recruitment and retention efforts. Provides information on healthcare workforce challenges faced by CAHs. Offers examples of external resources that CAHs may utilize to address their workforce needs across four topics: organizational culture and leadership, leveraging partnerships, emergency medical services workforce, and administrative and support staff workforce.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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2024 Workforce Survey Report: The Status of Kentucky's Hospital Workforce
Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2023. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2023. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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CommHIT Shoots for the Moon
Features a Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network grantee, CommHIT, that is assisting Florida partners with workforce development initiatives. Describes its workforce development efforts focused on community health workers (CHWs) and community paramedics, as well as cybersecurity and other technology-related trainings.
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features a Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network grantee, CommHIT, that is assisting Florida partners with workforce development initiatives. Describes its workforce development efforts focused on community health workers (CHWs) and community paramedics, as well as cybersecurity and other technology-related trainings.
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Factors Associated with Gaps in Naloxone Knowledge: Evidence from a 2022 Great Plains Survey
Examines naloxone knowledge in Nebraska, such as familiarity with, access to, and competency administering naloxone. Analyzes 2022 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey data with breakdowns according to respondent substance use, social and demographic data, and metro versus nonmetro location. Discusses issues such as naloxone access, education, and stigma related to opioid-related overdose deaths.
Author(s): Spencer Cooper-Ohm, Patrick Habecker, Ryan Humeniuk, Rick A. Bevins
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 21, 37
Date: 02/2024
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Examines naloxone knowledge in Nebraska, such as familiarity with, access to, and competency administering naloxone. Analyzes 2022 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey data with breakdowns according to respondent substance use, social and demographic data, and metro versus nonmetro location. Discusses issues such as naloxone access, education, and stigma related to opioid-related overdose deaths.
Author(s): Spencer Cooper-Ohm, Patrick Habecker, Ryan Humeniuk, Rick A. Bevins
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 21, 37
Date: 02/2024
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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: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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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: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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2023 Indiana EMS Workforce Assessment
Provides an overview of the emergency medical services (EMS) workforce in Indiana. Focuses on sustainable EMS workforce tracking, pipeline and retention assessments, and county-level workforce needs. Includes county-level data on population characteristics, such as uninsurance, opioid use, and emergency department utilization rates as compared to EMS workforce characteristics and supply in each respective county.
Author(s): Mykayla Tobin, Becky Boustani, Courtney Medlock, Sierra Vaughn, Hannah L. Maxey
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Provides an overview of the emergency medical services (EMS) workforce in Indiana. Focuses on sustainable EMS workforce tracking, pipeline and retention assessments, and county-level workforce needs. Includes county-level data on population characteristics, such as uninsurance, opioid use, and emergency department utilization rates as compared to EMS workforce characteristics and supply in each respective county.
Author(s): Mykayla Tobin, Becky Boustani, Courtney Medlock, Sierra Vaughn, Hannah L. Maxey
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Keeping Rural EMS Reliable and Sustainable, with James Small
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring James Small, Rural EMS Outreach Director for the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. Focuses on rural emergency medical services workforce and funding shortages, and how rural EMS can be maintained and expanded.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring James Small, Rural EMS Outreach Director for the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. Focuses on rural emergency medical services workforce and funding shortages, and how rural EMS can be maintained and expanded.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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South Dakota's Regional Services Designation Ambulance System Study
Report offering analysis of stakeholder interviews and performance data of emergency medical service (EMS) in rural South Dakota. Discusses recruitment and retention of workforce, volunteerism, training, data analysis, telehealth, access, and more. Offers recommendations based on key findings and a timeline for implementation.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Healthcare Strategists, South Dakota Department of Health
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Report offering analysis of stakeholder interviews and performance data of emergency medical service (EMS) in rural South Dakota. Discusses recruitment and retention of workforce, volunteerism, training, data analysis, telehealth, access, and more. Offers recommendations based on key findings and a timeline for implementation.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Healthcare Strategists, South Dakota Department of Health
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