Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma.
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
view details
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
view details
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
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
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
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
National Study on the Contribution of Family Physicians to the US Emergency Physician Workforce in 2020
Results of a study of family physicians who provide emergency care, using data from the 2020 American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Features county-level maps showing density of family medicine emergency physicians, and statistics including urban, large rural, or small rural location.
Author(s): Christopher L. Bennett, W. Anthony Gerard, John S. Cullen, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34(6), 1221-1228
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
view details
Results of a study of family physicians who provide emergency care, using data from the 2020 American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Features county-level maps showing density of family medicine emergency physicians, and statistics including urban, large rural, or small rural location.
Author(s): Christopher L. Bennett, W. Anthony Gerard, John S. Cullen, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34(6), 1221-1228
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
Evaluation of the 2020 Pediatric Emergency Physician Workforce in the US
Results of a study of 2,403 self-identified pediatric emergency physicians (EPs), examining their characteristics and their practice locations. Features a county-level map showing pediatric EP density per 100,000 population, and statistics with breakdowns by age, sex, U.S. census division, training specialty area, board certification, and urban, large rural, or small rural location.
Author(s): Christopher L. Bennett, Janice A. Espinola, Ashley F. Sullivan, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(5)
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
view details
Results of a study of 2,403 self-identified pediatric emergency physicians (EPs), examining their characteristics and their practice locations. Features a county-level map showing pediatric EP density per 100,000 population, and statistics with breakdowns by age, sex, U.S. census division, training specialty area, board certification, and urban, large rural, or small rural location.
Author(s): Christopher L. Bennett, Janice A. Espinola, Ashley F. Sullivan, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(5)
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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: 3/27/2024