Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
State Flex Programs are required to address EMS improvements and play a part in bringing about positive changes in rural communities' EMS systems. State initiatives include needs assessment, training, recruitment & retention, and addressing funding/reimbursement.
Tools
EMS in the FLEX Program 2008-2010: State Strategic Planning: Trauma System
Suggested Activities:
1. Designate CAHs as Level III, IV, or V Trauma Facilities
2. Strategic Planning based on the Trauma-BIS Assessment or Trauma
System Consultation
EMS in the FLEX Program 2008-2010: EMS Medical Direction
This EMS document outlines the following suggested activity: Sponsor
tuition for completion of a national standard medical direction course
delivered over the internet.
EMS in the FLEX Program 2008-2010: EMS Recruitment/Retention, Reimbursement and Restructuring
This document outlines suggested activities for the following:
1. Promote the replication of evidence based recruitment and retention
programs
2. Support personnel in establishing comprehensive budget planning
processes
3. Encourage the use of group purchasing and billing services
4. Support EMS agencies in completing assessments and strategic business
planning
5. Support EMS leadership-specific training
6. Support the exploration of EMS-based community healthcare models
EMS in the FLEX Program 2008-2010: Trauma Team Training
This document details suggested activities on how to sponsor tuition for
RTTDC or CALS courses conducted for CAHs.
EMS in the FLEX Program 2008-2010: Trauma System Assessment and Development
Suggested Activities for the utilization of HRSA's Model Trauma System
Planning and Evaluation (MTSPE) benchmark, indicator and scoring (BIS)
system (Trauma-BIS) and for the application of the American College of
Surgeons (ACS) Facilitated Trauma System Consultation program.
EMS Resource Guide for CAHs
(Not a U.S. Government Web Site)
This web site from the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health, gives
information on building EMS infrastructure, engaging community
partners, understanding legislation and regulations, securing EMS
resources, sustaining human resources, managing clinical care and
transport, devloping EMS communication systems, and using EMS
information systems, among others.
Agency Interview Survey
Assessment to gauge recruitment and retention efforts in rural EMS.
EMS Sex Ed Program Reduces Rural Pregancy Rate
This article from "Best Practices in Emergency Services" tells of an
initiative in a rural community in Tennessee where the EMS service has
begun providing sex education to area high school students.
EMS Instructor Observation Protocol
This document from the Nebraska Office of Rural Health is an example of
a survey that could be given to EMT students to evaluate EMS Training
Programs.
Mentoring Program Proposal
This proposal from the Nebraska Office of Rural Health describes how
an EMS Mentoring Program could be established.
Rural
Communities and Emergency Preparedness
This report, prepared by the Office of Rural Health Policy, addresses rural
emergency preparedness by describing the rural public health infrastructure and
an overview of rural emergency preparedness as well as perspectives and
experiences of State Offices of Rural Health in responding to emergencies and
in enhancing responsiveness in their States' rural communities.
EMS-CAH Network Agreement
This document is at network agreement between a critical access hospital and an
EMS provider.
Measuring Success Through Quality
Improvement
This quality improvement plan, developed by the Nebraska Health and Human
Service System, is intended to foster an improved relationship between hospitals
and EMS providers, using a systematic approach.
Ambulance Services Networking Initiative
This tool, developed by the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Rural
Health, is used to identify ambulance services and prioritize assistance based
on need in order to improve the statewide ambulance network.
Surveys
Following are several examples of EMS service surveys
used in State Flex Programs. Each has been designed
gather information about local EMS providers and
identify areas for improvement in emergency services in
rural areas.
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Rural Emergency Medical
Services Survey
This survey, developed by the Florida Department of Health, Office of Rural Health, has been used to help establish priorities for Flex funds in the EMS area. -
Arizona EMS Needs Assessment
This extensive survey, developed by the State of Arizona Rural Health Office, Family and Community Medicine department, was used to identify communities in need of support. The information will be used to assist in establishing EMS-related priorities for the CAH program. -
South Carolina
State EMS Survey
This survey was developed for the South Carolina State Office of Rural Health to begin to gather basic information about emergency medical services in the state. -
Idaho EMS Bureau Technical Assessment Survey
This survey, developed by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Office of Rural Health and Primary care, was used to gather basic information from area providers using common EMS standards.-
EMS Technical
Assessment Standards
This document, developed by the State of Idaho EMS Bureau, lists and defines common EMS standards to accompany the technical assessment. -
Technical Assistance
Team Quality Improvement Questionnaire
This document, developed by the State of Idaho EMS Bureau, was developed to help to provide better customer service to those who participated in the EMS system technical assessment.
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EMS Technical
Assessment Standards
-
Oregon EMS Survey
This survey, developed by the Oregon Health and Science University, Office of Rural Health, was used to gather basic information about emergency medical service in the state. -
EMS Provider Survey
and
EMS Squad Survey
These surveys were prepared by the Rural EMS Institute in collaboration with the North Dakota State Office of Rural Health, and the State EMS Office. If you use either of them, please send feedback to Deb Moreno for continuous improvement purposes. -
Nebraska EMS Survey
This project report, developed by the Nebraska Center for Rural Health Research, addresses EMS organization, personnel, equipment, services, funding, recruitment and retention, community recognition, education, and training. Survey Questions are list in Appendix B. The report (PR 01.6) is located under the category "Projects and Special Reports." -
Ambulance Service Survey
This survey, developed by the Minnesota Office of Rural Health & Primary Care's Rural Ambulance Services work group, covers staff, current operations, finances, and infrastructure.-
Cover Letter for Ambulance
Survey
This letter is designed to accompany the Ambulance Survey. It can be modified to include appropriate names and contact information for any state.
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Cover Letter for Ambulance
Survey
Resources
EMS Resource Guide
for Critical Access Hospitals
This site provides resouces on how to develop sustainable
funding streams from diverse sources, billing strategies, management of
resources, facilities, and equipment to ensure a solid financial
foundation to support EMS in a rural community.
CMS Proposed Rule Change for Ambulance
Reimbursement Maps
CMS ambulance reimbursement maps showing how CMS's proposed rule, the
CBSA definition of rural, will impact ambulance reimbursement.
Rural and
Frontier EMS Agenda For the Future
(Not a U.S. Government Web Site)
This document by Kevin K. McGinnis, MPS, WEMT-P with assistance from
the National Rural Health Association, contains goals to meet the
needs of rural communities, resources already in place, what needs to
be done, and what needs to be funded to make EMS work in rural
communities.
EMS Definition of
Rural
The EMS Report was created through the efforts of Gary Wingrove, Manager, Mayo
Clinics Gold Cross Ambulance Service and Thomas Judge, Executive Director,
Lifeflight of Maine. It was developed for, and included in the final Rural
Emergency Medical Service Agenda for the Future. The following maps were
produced by the Rural Policy Research Institute under contract with the American
Ambulance Association. Reprinted with permission.
Rural EMS and Trauma Technical Assistance Center (REMSTTAC)
Survey of Critical Access Hospital -
Affiliated Emergency Medical Service Providers, Penny
Mohr, Senior Research Director, Project Hope Welsh
Center for Rural Health Analysis
This recently released survey details the findings of a
survey of rural EMS providers that serve Critical Access
Hospital Communities.
EMS Activities
Under the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program
(Not a U.S. Government Web Site)
This chapter of the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Tracking Project Year 2
Reports analyzes EMS activities undertaken in State Flex Programs.
Ambulance Benchmarking Project
(Not a U.S. Government Web Site)
The North Central EMS Institute is in the process of developing benchmarks for
the ambulance industry. If you would like to participate in this process, please
visit this site. The site also contains information on EMS funding issues.
Capital Area Rural Health Roundtable
-
This
newsletter
addresses rural EMS financial issues.
-
This
paper
summarizes rural ambulance economics.
Rural Health EMS System Review (Not a U.S. Government Web Site)
Funding
EMS Grant Availability
An up to date list of opportunities for EMS assistance and
grant availibility with a specific section on grants for EMS in rural
locations.