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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

2023 National Survey on MIH-CP Programs
Results of a February 2023 survey of approximately 400 emergency medical services (EMS) agencies nationwide that have launched mobile integrated healthcare and community paramedicine (MIH-CP) programs. Features statistics on nontraditional services offered, and programs by demographic region served, with breakdowns by 3 levels of population density.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
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Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services
Chartbook presenting data on ambulance deserts from 41 states in 2021-2022, and identifying places and people that are more than 25 minutes from an ambulance station. Include maps of ambulance desert locations and health care facility locations for every state with available data, and documents coverage gaps in the provision of ambulance services across geographic areas across the United States.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Carly Milkowski, Zachariah Croll, Karen Pearson
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Can Community Paramedicine Improve Health Outcomes in Rural America?
Profiles three community paramedicine programs that serve rural communities in the Midwest, Maine, and Pennsylvania. Describes how community paramedicine can help fill gaps in care in rural communities and improve health outcomes. Identifies challenges to the growth of rural community paramedicine programs, including funding, payment, and workforce.
Author(s): Vida Foubister
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Characteristics of California's EMT and Paramedic Workforce
Provides an overview of the emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic workforce in California, including trends, estimated size, geographic distribution, employment and demographic characteristics, educational pipeline, and more. Provides county-level maps of actively certified EMTS to population ratios, actively licensed paramedics to population ratios, and EMT and paramedic training programs.
Author(s): Tim Bates, Janet Coffman
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Healthforce Center at UCSF
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Access to Emergency Medical Services in Rural Communities: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of issues related to the provision of emergency medical services (EMS) in rural areas. Discusses rural EMS access, financing, and workforce challenges, as well as promising telehealth innovations. Outlines federal programs and resources that support EMS programs. Offers policy recommendations related to access to EMS, workforce, and reimbursement.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Aiming For 'Real and Accessible': EMS Simulations Give Rural Providers Hands-On Experience
Describes how simulation training is helping rural emergency medical services providers prepare for a variety of situations. Discusses the use of mobile simulation facilities and virtual reality, and features programs in Colorado, Maine, and Nebraska.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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'Filling the Cracks': How a Rural Maine Community Kept its 24/7 Urgent Care Open with Paramedics
Features a pilot program serving rural Maine where paramedics take shifts staffing the local health center after-hours and on weekends.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Breaking the Cycle: Missouri Community Paramedicine Program Brings Primary Care to High-Risk Patients
Features a community paramedicine program that is a partnership between a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and an ambulance district. Discusses how the program is helping chronically ill patients access care at home. Also highlights a related community college program to train community paramedics.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Survey of Pennsylvania Emergency Medical Services Agencies
Results of a December 2021 survey of 389 directors of urban, rural, and mixed Pennsylvania emergency medical services agencies. Features statistics on topics including staffing, finances, changes in providers, recruitment and retention, and strategic planning, with breakdowns by rural and urban/mixed classifications.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Rx for the Rural Healthcare Workforce and Access to Care
Podcast with Tom Morris of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy about trends related to the rural healthcare workforce and efforts to overcome challenges. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural hospital closures, telehealth, graduate medical education in rural areas, community health workers and community paramedics, funding opportunities to promote healthcare access in rural areas, the opioid crisis, and more.
Author(s): Jessica Nicholson
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: The Conference Board
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