MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — The PWW Advisory Group draws our attention to the South Dakota Ambulance Association and a new South Dakota Public Broadcasting documentary that examines the challenges facing emergency medical services across the state, particularly in rural communities.
Part one of the two-part series, released this week, features interviews with EMS leaders and frontline providers who describe staffing shortages, funding gaps and long response times that jeopardize patient care. Part two is scheduled to air Oct. 30.
The PWW Advisory Group encouraged EMS agencies and advocacy organizations nationwide to review the documentary’s messaging as they prepare applications for the newly issued Rural Health Transformation program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The federal initiative provides grants designed to enhance healthcare access and outcomes in rural communities.
About the Rural Health Transformation program
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The Population Health Infrastructure Initiative aims to improve rural access to primary, behavioral and preventive care by strengthening the outreach and facilities of community-based providers.
Projects may deploy community health workers and community paramedics as tech-enabled health navigators, guiding rural patients in prevention and chronic-care management as part of value-based, Make America Healthy Again efforts.
Funds may support:
- Building multidisciplinary teams that add paramedics, EMTs, community health workers and pharmacists to rural care networks.
- Expanding primary and preventive care via schools, retail sites, libraries, home visits and mobile units such as screening vans and community paramedic clinics.
Rural EMS faces long travel distances, challenging terrain, workforce shortages and heavy volunteer reliance, leading to extended response times. Proposals should show how they will better integrate EMS into local health systems and boost service efficiency.
Applicants might propose closer collaboration between EMS and primary care practices, broaden community-paramedicine programs to manage patients in their homes, invest in systems that let crews treat in place during 911 calls, or pursue other innovations that cut response times, improve access and lower costs. Reviewers will also weigh each project’s feasibility, long-term financial sustainability and the strength of its evaluation plan.
