EMS News in Focus

EMS grant help from health care systems is a game changer

More grant funding support from major health care systems has the potential to improve the overall EMS system

In these days of shrinking budgets, fewer volunteers, and intense competition, it's almost heartwarming to see an organization step up to the plate and encourage local EMS systems to do so as well. With money on the table, Wellspan’s Pa. partnership to help secure emergency grants has put some skin in the game to improve the overall capacity of the regional EMS system.

Earlier this week, I commented on Rural/Metro's decision to pull out from much of Indiana. I said it's going to take both fiscal and operational ingenuity to make EMS systems work successfully today.

While changes in the reimbursement landscape are happening, they may be too slow or too small to compensate for the losses incurred daily by EMS systems throughout the nation. You can only tighten the belt so far without a loss in service.

It'll be interesting to watch what happens here over the next year. It may portend things to come.

About the author

Art Hsieh, MA, NRP teaches in Northern California at the Public Safety Training Center, Santa Rosa Junior College in the Emergency Care Program. An EMS provider since 1982, Art has served as a line medic, supervisor and chief officer in the private, third service and fire-based EMS. He has directed both primary and EMS continuing education programs. Art is a textbook writer, author of "EMT Exam for Dummies," has presented at conferences nationwide and continues to provide direct patient care regularly. Art is a member of the EMS1 Editorial Advisory Board. Contact Art at Art.Hsieh@ems1.com and connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.