Emergency Medical Services

ORH assists rural and frontier EMS providers and agencies with funding from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Flexibility Grant and ORH’s Helping EMS in Rural Oregon (HERO) Campaign.
Current Grants, Projects and Opportunities
Scholarship for a Rural EMS Provider to Attend the National Rural EMS & Care Conference
ORH provides a full scholarship for a rural or frontier EMS provider to attend this conference each April. Contact Rebecca Dobert | (503) 494-6627 | dobert@ohsu.edu | to nominate an awardee for 2019.
Oregon EMS Medical Directors & Agency Managers Forum
The forum is a twice-yearly gathering of Oregon EMS Supervising Physicians/Medical Directors and Agency Managers focused on collective discussion, education and networking to enhance EMS in Oregon.
The next forum is scheduled as part of the 2018 Oregon EMS Conference, September 27-29, at the Salem Convention Center. A draft agenda for the forum is available online.
Simulated Trauma Scenarios for Critical Access Hospitals
ORH has partnered with the Oregon Health Authority EMS and Trauma Systems (OHA EMST) program and the Idaho Simulation Network to sponsor simulated trauma events for Critical Access Hospitals and their EMS partners. This is a competitive grant opportunity. The next opportunity to apply is expected for fall 2018.
The following documents provide details about what Simulation-based Training Events entail and anticipated planning and staff involvement required by facilities wishing to participate:
- Overview of Simulation-Based Team Training with ISN
- Suggested Composition of Simulated Event Planning Team
- Simulation Event Planning and Logistics Guide
Support for EMS Research and Quality Improvement
Recent ORH-supported EMS-focus research and quality improvement work includes:
- A review of EMS agency protocols for Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA), ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) & Stroke in Oregon that assessed the inclusion of current evidence-based practices.
- Research on the development of standardization for Oregon Ambulance Service Area (ASA) plans and identification of an accessible online platform for submission of the plans.
- An investigation of EMS treatment disparities for trauma and pain, including a rural breakout.
Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) Registry
CARES is a web-based system to track information about OHCA where resuscitation is attempted by an emergency responder. The registry contains demographic, therapeutic and outcome measures, and data are used to help communities benchmark and improve their performance for OHCA. ORH provided support in 2018 for Oregon EMS agencies to continue reporting data to the registry.
Listening Tour
ORH will partner with OHA EMST for the 2018-19 Flex grant year to conduct an on-site Rural and Frontier EMS Listening Tour at 10 rural and frontier ASAs. This collaboration will provide the opportunity for ASA staff to directly identify operational and quality reporting strengths, as well as the biggest challenges they face to improving care.
Oregon’s Individual Income Tax Credit for Rural Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Providers (EMSP)
The 2005 Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 31 which grants up to $250 in personal income tax credit to eligible EMSPs who volunteer their services to rural Oregon communities.
Oregon EMS Agencies, Administrative Rules and Revised Statutes
- Oregon EMS Association — an association representing all levels of prehospital EMS care providers in Oregon
- Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association — provides support and representation for volunteer emergency responders in Oregon
- OHA EMS and Trauma Systems — Oregon state agency that develops and regulates systems for quality emergency medical care in Oregon
- Legal Authority of the EMS & Trauma Program
- EMS Providers and EMS Supervising Physicians Scope of Practice: OAR 847-035-0001
- Regulation of Ambulance Services and Emergency Medical Services Providers: ORS 682
Oregon EMS Educational Resources
OHA EMST Program Education and Training Resources
Federal/National Resources
- National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO)
- National EMS Information System (NEMSIS)
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of EMS
- National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
- Rural Health Information Hub
Topic Guides
Reference Documents
- Rural Trauma Care
- Disparities in Access to Trauma Care in the United States: A Population-Based Analysis
- The Evidence for Community Paramedicine in Rural Areas: State and Local Findings and the Role of the State Flex program
- Rural and Frontier Emergency Medical Services Agenda for the Future
If you have questions, please contact
Rebecca Dobert, Program Manager | dobert@ohsu.edu | (503) 494-6627