Enhancing EMS Practice Through Data and Performance Improvement

To better define and analyze the vital components of our national EMS systems, there must be an organized effort to collect data on State/Territorial EMS Office structure and functions.  This data collection, upon analysis and comparison will hopefully demonstrate priority areas which can be taken to improve EMS policy, funding, personnel, education, and resources. In Mid-August 2003, 56 Palm Tungsten C handheld devices with accompanying memory chips were mailed to each State EMS Director.  The memory chips were encoded with a survey containing 111 questions addressing the following:

• State EMS Office Structure
• State EMS Director
• State EMS Medical Director
• State EMS Office Function
• State EMS Systems
• EMS Education
• EMS Personnel
• EMS Skills and Medications
• EMS Vehicles
• EMS Data Systems
• User satisfaction with the survey

Title page 2003 National EMS Survey (pdf)
Explanation of documents (pdf)
2003 National EMS Survey (pdf)

Summary

The Summary is an overview of the survey which categorically organizes questions according to relative topical areas. Discussion outside of any needed explanation of the question or how to interpret its response are provided here.  The project team strongly recommends the reader focus on the Summary.

Rural Implications

The Rural Implications analyzes the survey results on a state based measure or rurality. Essentially, the states can be ranked according to their density and their resident rural population. This type of analysis provides some insight into the particular challenges faced by some largely rural states.

Executive Brief

The Executive Brief is provided for the reader’s convenience. Additionally, the project team acknowledges Priority Areas for State/Territory EMS Offices demonstrated by the vast amount of data provided by the 56 survey respondents.