Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma.
Connecting Communities to Substance Use Services: Practical Approaches for First Responders
Discusses strategies for first responders in connecting people who use drugs to substance use services including training, developing partnerships, and examples of programs across the country. Chapter 4 covers rural-specific challenges.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Discusses strategies for first responders in connecting people who use drugs to substance use services including training, developing partnerships, and examples of programs across the country. Chapter 4 covers rural-specific challenges.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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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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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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The Association of Crash Response Times and Deaths at the Crash Scene: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using the 2019 National Emergency Medical Service Information System
Compares EMS response times with rates of crash scene deaths by rural and urban region and by rush and non-rush hour periods. Breaks down the demographic characteristics of the people involved in the crash, such as age, sex, substances involved, and injuries, as well as mortality and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): Oluwaseun J. Adeyemi, Rajib Paul, Charles DiMaggio, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(4), 1011-1024
Date: 09/2022
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Compares EMS response times with rates of crash scene deaths by rural and urban region and by rush and non-rush hour periods. Breaks down the demographic characteristics of the people involved in the crash, such as age, sex, substances involved, and injuries, as well as mortality and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): Oluwaseun J. Adeyemi, Rajib Paul, Charles DiMaggio, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(4), 1011-1024
Date: 09/2022
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Strategies for Enhancing Prehospital Outcomes for Cardiac Arrest (EPOC)
Analyzes results of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–funded Enhancing Prehospital Outcomes for Cardiac Arrest (EPOC) study, which lays the foundation for future quality improvement efforts in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Identifies 49 strategies across the incident, stakeholder, and system levels to improve pre-hospital OHCA survival and care delivery. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Author(s): Mahshid Abir, Stephen R. Dowker, Wilson Nham, et al.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Analyzes results of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–funded Enhancing Prehospital Outcomes for Cardiac Arrest (EPOC) study, which lays the foundation for future quality improvement efforts in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Identifies 49 strategies across the incident, stakeholder, and system levels to improve pre-hospital OHCA survival and care delivery. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Author(s): Mahshid Abir, Stephen R. Dowker, Wilson Nham, et al.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Fostering a Culture of Resilient Rural EMS Webinar
Discusses the challenges experienced by rural emergency medical services (EMS) providers and ways to promote positive mental health. Includes commentary on Flex Programs and their role in supporting EMS providers. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): John Becknell, Michael Washington, Nicole Threadgold, John Nokes
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Discusses the challenges experienced by rural emergency medical services (EMS) providers and ways to promote positive mental health. Includes commentary on Flex Programs and their role in supporting EMS providers. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): John Becknell, Michael Washington, Nicole Threadgold, John Nokes
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Framework for Optimizing Air Ambulance Locations
Describes a framework for optimizing air ambulance services delivery based on demand and constraints to other modes of transportation. Highlights how data can be used to identify locations where air ambulance services could be located for optimal use. Includes maps showing candidate locations for air ambulance bases in Virginia and New England.
Author(s): Sabin Ahmed, Robert D. Lieberthal, David M. Hechtman, et al.
Citation: AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings, 2022, 102-111
Date: 05/2022
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Describes a framework for optimizing air ambulance services delivery based on demand and constraints to other modes of transportation. Highlights how data can be used to identify locations where air ambulance services could be located for optimal use. Includes maps showing candidate locations for air ambulance bases in Virginia and New England.
Author(s): Sabin Ahmed, Robert D. Lieberthal, David M. Hechtman, et al.
Citation: AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings, 2022, 102-111
Date: 05/2022
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Prehospital Emergency Medical Services Personnel: Comparing Rural and Urban Professional Experience and Provision of Evidence-Based Care
Describes the relationship between prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) providers' levels of experience and provision of evidence-based care for rural and urban populations. Features statistics on EMS agency sample characteristics and evidenced-based care for seizure, stroke, hypoglycemia, and trauma as of 2018, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural locations.
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, Nikiah G. Nudell, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the relationship between prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) providers' levels of experience and provision of evidence-based care for rural and urban populations. Features statistics on EMS agency sample characteristics and evidenced-based care for seizure, stroke, hypoglycemia, and trauma as of 2018, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural locations.
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, Nikiah G. Nudell, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion: Critical Factors for EMS Support
Policy position paper focused on emergency medical services (EMS) in communities with hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status. Outlines barriers to EMS delivery in rural areas including funding, workforce, and community engagement and support. Includes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Julie Bosak, Jed Hansen
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper focused on emergency medical services (EMS) in communities with hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status. Outlines barriers to EMS delivery in rural areas including funding, workforce, and community engagement and support. Includes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Julie Bosak, Jed Hansen
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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How Actual Practice of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Aligns with the Recommended National Scope of Practice in Rural Versus Urban Areas of the U.S.
Results of a study examining the extent to which EMS professionals perform skills that correspond to their credential levels, and determining whether there are variations in adherence to guidelines between agencies serving rural or urban populations and agencies with unpaid versus paid staffing models. Examines credentials for emergency medical responders, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), advanced EMTs, and paramedics, and uses data from EMS encounters in 2018 from 1,056 EMS agencies nationally. Features statistics on various procedures and predictors of performing a procedure within the scope of practice model, with breakdowns by 4 levels of population density.
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, Benjamin A. Stubbs, Nikiah G. Nudell
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Results of a study examining the extent to which EMS professionals perform skills that correspond to their credential levels, and determining whether there are variations in adherence to guidelines between agencies serving rural or urban populations and agencies with unpaid versus paid staffing models. Examines credentials for emergency medical responders, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), advanced EMTs, and paramedics, and uses data from EMS encounters in 2018 from 1,056 EMS agencies nationally. Features statistics on various procedures and predictors of performing a procedure within the scope of practice model, with breakdowns by 4 levels of population density.
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, Benjamin A. Stubbs, Nikiah G. Nudell
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Ending Surprise Medical Bills
Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding surprise billing regulations and policies. Includes information on payment dispute resolution between patients and providers, and between providers and out-of-network health plans.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding surprise billing regulations and policies. Includes information on payment dispute resolution between patients and providers, and between providers and out-of-network health plans.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Emergency department and urgent care services
- Emergency medical services
- Emergency medical technicians and paramedics
Last Updated: 6/6/2025