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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

State Perspectives Discussion Paper on Development of Community Paramedic Programs
Summarizes the status of community paramedicine programs in 2010 and presents a synopsis of some of the opportunities and challenges state EMS offices will face as these programs are contemplated in local communities.
Date: 12/2010
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State EMS Officials
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A Novel Emergency Medical Services-Based Program to Identify and Assist Older Adults in a Rural Community
Describes a program using EMS providers to screen older adults for common geriatric syndromes and provide referrals to case managers and community resources.
Author(s): Manish N. Shah, Thomas V. Caprio, Peter Swanson, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(11), 2205-2211
Date: 11/2010
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Rural Volunteer EMS: Reports from the Field
Explores the state of rural emergency medical services (EMS) by interviewing 49 local directors from all-volunteer rural services in 23 states. Addresses rural volunteers, recruitment and retention of EMTs, funding rural EMS agencies, billing, and more.
Additional links: Findings Brief
Author(s): Victoria A. Freeman, Stephen Rutledge, Michael Hamon, Rebecca T. Slifkin
Date: 08/2010
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Challenges for Rural Emergency Medical Services: Medical Oversight
Examines the challenges faced by rural emergency medical service agencies in recruiting a medical director and providing medical direction for EMS personnel.
Author(s): Victoria Freeman, Rebecca Slifkin, Daniel Patterson
Date: 05/2008
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Issues in Staffing Emergency Medical Services: A National Survey of Local Rural and Urban EMS Directors
Explores rural-urban differences in medical oversight and the recruitment and retention of emergency medical technicians and paramedics as reported by a survey of 1,425 local EMS directors.
Author(s): Victoria Freeman
Date: 05/2008
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Future of Emergency Care Series: Emergency Medical Services: At the Crossroads
Part one in a series of three reports from the Committee on the Future of Emergency Care in the United States Health System. Examines pre-hospital emergency medical services (EMS). Discusses issues specific to rural EMS and the rural EMS workforce.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2007
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Emergency Medical Services Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach
Shares a vision for an emergency medical services (EMS) education system that emphasizes the integration of EMS within the overall healthcare system. Discusses a systems approach to EMS education to enhance consistency of instructional quality. Identifies limitations of EMS education and proposed solutions.
Date: 06/2000
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Rural EMS Quality Improvement Basics
A quality improvement course geared toward emergency medical services (EMS) professionals in rural areas. Provides guidance on quality improvement awareness, implementation, and leadership.
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Disaster Behavioral Health Resources
Offers a variety of resources for professionals working in disaster behavioral health fields. Includes the Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series Resource Center, an information series searchable by specific population and type of disaster. Also, comprises publications discussing new research and information: The Dialogue, a quarterly newsletter; SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin, a monthly journal; and SAMHSA DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin, providing practitioners, planners, and responders a review of current published research and literature. Several tip sheets are included to help first responders, healthcare professionals, and survivors after disasters and traumatic events.
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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The Virtual Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH): A Model for Idaho's Rural and Underserved Communities
Describes the virtual Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), including benefits such as reduced cost of care and increased access to and quality of care. Discusses how telehealth and community health emergency medical services (CHEMS) will be used in the PCMH model. Includes contact information for Public Health District Small Rural Hospital Improvement (SHIP) Grant Project Managers.
Sponsoring organization: Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
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