Strategies to elevate paramedic safety, wellness, career development and operations
The state of the industry EMS Trend Survey explores issues tied to provider recruitment and retention; safety, health and wellness support; technology adoption; and career development, produced in partnership with Fitch & Associates and the National EMS Management Association.
EMS TREND REPORT
ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY
Share your priorities, challenges and outlook to help shape the future of EMS
In EMS, support is essential — but without limits, even helpers burn out. Here’s how to stay connected without carrying it all.
Even the most disciplined providers burn out when high demand meets zero recovery
In a profession defined by chaos, simple routines can reduce stress, improve sleep and create stability where it matters most — at home
Achieve peak performance through foam-rolling, active warm-ups, deadlifts, functional dumbbell exercises and high-intensity interval training
Who could use a little more sleep?
Contract negotiations may hold the key to closing the gap between what medics expect and the reality of the job
With a provider-first 24/72 schedule, advanced clinical tools and a culture rooted in teamwork, Stokes County EMS is redefining what it means to build a sustainable paramedic career
Resiliency training and a CISM program laid a foundation for the Richmond Ambulance Authority to support its providers’ mental health
Building mental and physical resilience isn’t just important — it’s essential for EMS professionals. If your program isn’t gaining traction, these 5 roadblocks could be to blame.
Identify and aid team members facing depression, burnout or compassion fatigue to foster an emotionally safe organizational environment
What UK ‘Med Twitter’ taught us — and what comes next
The jury may start after the sirens have stopped.
From skipped meals to nonstop radios, you can’t control the clock. What you can control is how you recover, reset and protect yourself for a career that lasts.
A firsthand look at how Pro EMS turned candor, humility and field-tested leadership into a scalable, mission-first organization
Insufficient sleep impacts decision-making, wellness and risk-taking, putting providers and patients at risk
Financial collapse, market churn and rising risks define today’s EMS landscape
Communities are rethinking who delivers care — and how to protect against the next sudden shutdown
EMS funding is broken — and communities are done pretending it’s not
It’s time to match praise with policy for those on the front lines
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Engaging millennials is about more than simply welcoming a new generation to the workplace; it’s about accepting a seismic shift in how we view careers, technology and innovation
Unless EMS leaders can explain “why” to the millennial workforce, any quality improvement process is doomed
Your partner seems to be struggling both on and off duty; did you make the right call?
EMS leaders promote the importance of a degree, but too few agencies require higher education as part of their hiring practices
Learning and understanding five things about EMS and life saved my career and gave my life more meaning
Succession planning is useful to develop personnel for all levels of leadership in your EMS agency
Follow these steps to become an employer of choice and improve paramedic morale
Appeal to our shared purpose to help people when introducing changes in clinical care
“The Paramedic” reflects on stages of his career and worries that he is on the doorstep of burnout
Having an engaged, committed workforce is the best way to improve patient care
The effects of sleep deprivation are akin to alcohol intoxication; build a safe sleep room and a culture of watching over tired medics
Write a compelling narrative with passion, conflict and resolution to engage grant application reviewers in your project
All personnel need appropriate access to information, forms and schedules from any device which connects to the Internet
An EMS agency, facing an applicant shortage, surveyed EMS providers to see if employee-employer compensation expectations matched
Hire EMS providers with the experience, positive attitude and maturity to help your volunteer service be excellent in its commitment to the community
To move out of crisis mode and on from dire consultant studies, volunteer EMS needs less analysis and more action
Graduates of an innovative high school in Las Vegas are determined and passionate to make a difference for their community as caregivers
A Florida EMS agency is not likely to achieve its desired retention goal by offering medics a $35,000 bonus for working for 5 years
Before DC Fire and EMS accuses the public of 911 abuse, the system needs to be staffed, monitored and performing effectively
The expectations of EMS volunteers often don’t match the reality of being an EMT or assure long-term survival for the organization
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Hear Chief Bill Salmeron’s firsthand account of managing the MCI, from inter-agency collaboration to the long-term psychological toll on first responders
Back injuries happen all too frequently in EMS, endangering ourselves, our partners and our patients; learn how to prevent them
Recruitment, the opioid epidemic, climate change and mental health challenges are just as significant for paramedics now as they were in the heat of the campaign
Your options will vary depending on your agency’s benefits package and your state’s policies regarding injured workers, but you can prepare now
Is the 75 Hard health and fitness challenge to boost mental discipline and physical fitness right for you?
Putting together a simple budget is not difficult. Here are some tips
Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to enhance your existing routine, these free tools can help you stay fit and ready for the demands of your job
Keep your new tattoo safe, clean and vibrant with these nine tips tailored for tough environments
Losing a partner in this field cuts deeper than in most; here’s a reflection on my recent loss and what it means to me
For EMTs, grief is often a surprising reaction to every day interactions with patients and their loved ones
Lessons from a Florida chief’s message to grieving members
EMS Trend Survey seeks input for What Paramedics Want in 2025 report
The state-of-the industry survey focuses on wellness, career development and satisfaction in EMS
The 9th annual What Paramedics Want survey wants to hear from medical first responders, EMTs and paramedics about their career satisfaction, health and wellness
Which of these viral TikTok fitness trends will you try next?
Discover practical strategies for public safety leaders to stay grounded, manage stress and inspire their teams during life’s toughest challenges
Insights, challenges and future directions: Highlighting the most compelling discussions that shaped EMS this year
Without a defined pension plan, most providers are on the hook for saving for retirement; check out these tips to help you get started
From concerns over financial security to the physical and mental toll a career in EMS takes, providers should be preparing for retirement now
EMT Stephen Walsh’s death sparks a call to action for wellness initiatives and the reevaluation of long-standing shift structures
LEADERSHIP
Learn how health information exchange is improving patient outcomes, increasing organizational efficiencies and recovering revenue as possible in the Pinnacle Webinar Series
Whether you’re trying to fund a new ambulance or stock the pantry, use these tips to engage with your community remotely
Our co-hosts discuss the effect of falling call volumes on EMS staffing levels and how agencies can prepare for the future
Frustration mounts as small print delays the HEROES Act, and presents a dual standard for provider benefits for the fallen
This week, after more than six years and 449 recorded episodes, the podcast reached one million listens of the show
Look to the factors impacting EMS revenues – logistics, technology and resource matching – to manage deliverables
Our co-hosts speak with Senior Vice President Asbel Montes of Acadian Ambulances regarding the differences in federal COVID-19 funding for private and public EMS departments
Know what you are agreeing to when you accept CARES Act COVID-19 stimulus funding
Wisconsin EMS and fire leaders join forces to provide an overview of EMS legislative and regulatory requests to support front line response to COVID-19
Now is the time to ask your community to remember their ambulance service when donating to a charitable organization
The Act provides $150 billion for a Coronavirus Relief Fund to make payments to local governments
Unique federal loan is easy to apply for and will likely not have to be repaid
Two lessons from the New Jersey volunteer ambulance squad that closed its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic
NAEMT President Matt Zavadsky: Keep the pressure on Congress to ensure EMS personnel are covered in all applicable COVID-19 provisions
CMS has relaxed ambulance regulations and rules to assist EMS agencies nationwide during the public health emergency
COVID-19 is overwhelming the already over-stressed and underfunded emergency medical services system. This is what EMS needs to survive the pandemic
Minnesota EMS Regulatory Board removes constraints on EMS response to the coronavirus epidemic
The tasks and timeline ahead for the 205 organizations selected under ET3 as we remove the perverse incentive of only getting paid for taking a patient to the wrong place
Like it or not, the reality of doing what we do is that EMS is a business, and like any business, income must at least meet or exceed expenditures to remain solvent and afloat
Charlotte’s MEDIC deputy director explains how a proposed leave-at-home policy will be a well-researched study into giving the patient the right treatment at the right time
2019 was a paradigm-shifting year for the EMS industry and profession – one that will set the pace for the next decade’s worth of ambition and work
Follow these five steps to save time, ensure accuracy and submit the data CMS requires to prevent a 10% reduction in EMS reimbursement for an entire year
An EMS social worker describes how a new program in Texas is serving patients while decreasing 911 calls
Double lung transplant recipient Tom Saputo said he was surprised by the bill for the 27-mile air ambulance transport to UCLA Medical Center
Surprise medical billing and high air medical transport costs are getting attention and triggering legislation