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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency medical services

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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Prehospital Time for Patients with Acute Cardiac Complaints: A Rural Health Disparity
Reviews 428,054 emergency medical services (EMS) instances between January 2013 and May 2018 related to acute cardiac complaints to examine differences in time spent between EMS dispatch and hospital arrival for rural and urban patients. Discusses inequities in time to care by age, sex, transport mode, and patient status.
Author(s): Nicklaus P. Ashburn, Anna C. Snavely, Ryan M. Angi, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine 52(2022), 64-68
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
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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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Public-Safety Broadband Network: Congressional Action Required to Ensure Network Continuity
Provides an overview of the implementation progress of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) public-safety broadband network, including network coverage in rural and non-rural areas as of March 2021. Reviews FirstNet's statutory requirements and contract responsibilities Congress should consider before FirstNet's authority sunsets in 2027. Explores options to oversee and manage the network when this authority sunsets, as well as the associated operational implications and potential costs.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Maine Baseline Needs Assessment: First Responders
Report highlights a the results of a baseline needs assessment identifying substance use disorder (SUD) treatment needs and barriers for rural first responders in Maine. Breaks down data by county, substances used, and rural versus non-rural areas.
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction
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Michigan Center for Rural Health 2022 Annual Report
Provides an overview of the mission, programming, events, and outreach of the Michigan Center for Rural Health. Focuses on issues such as health workforce education, healthcare access, social determinants of health (SDOH), emergency medical services (EMS), hospital programs, and more.
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Michigan Center for Rural Health
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2022 EMS Index: North Dakota Rural EMS Counts
Presents data on rural-relevant EMS quality measures for North Dakota, focusing on cardiac, stroke, pain, vitals, and safety using 2021 data from the North Dakota State EMS Repository. Compares metrics in each focal area to national rates.
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: ESO, North Dakota Department of Health, North Dakota EMS Association, University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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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
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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