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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency medical services

Patient-Level and County-Level Trends in Nonfatal Opioid-Involved Overdose Emergency Medical Services Encounters — 491 Counties, United States, January 2018–March 2022
Reports on trends in rates of EMS encounters for nonfatal opioid-involved overdoses during January 2018–March 2022, based on data from 491 counties in 21 states. Includes trend data by quarter for rural and urban counties.
Author(s): Shannon M. Casillas, Cassandra M. Pickens, Erin K. Stokes, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(34), 1073-1080
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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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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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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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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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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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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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Summary, April 11-13, 2022
Summarizes the 90th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held virtually. Presents an overview of the meeting's two areas of focus: 1) national, state, and tribal perspectives on access to emergency medical services (EMS) in rural America and 2) rural human services programs and emerging issues.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Rural EMS: Taking the Next Step
Discusses funding, hiring, collaboration, and policy to support emergency medical services (EMS) in rural Minnesota. Utilizes Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) survey data and interview data to discuss issues related to EMS management and sustainability. Provides charts showing recruitment and training barriers in rural versus urban areas.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Year Two Evaluation of the Flex EMS Supplemental Funding Projects: Building an Evidence Base Through Outcome Measurement
Examines the outcome management strategies of four of the Flex Program's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Supplemental funding grant recipients. Describes the outcome measures selected, the timing of those measures, and data sources used to support their outcome measures. Identifies strengths and challenges to the outcome management strategies and offers recommendations to refine these strategies.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Sara Kahn-Troster
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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