EMS Agenda for the Future

NHTSA · 1996 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

The document "EMS Agenda for the Future," published in September 1996 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, outlines a strategic vision for the evolution of emergency medical services (EMS) in the United States. The report addresses the need to transform EMS from a fragmented emergency response mechanism into a community-based health management system fully integrated with the broader healthcare infrastructure. This initiative was motivated by three decades of exponential growth in EMS, which occurred despite limited initial knowledge regarding the most efficient processes for delivering resources to diverse emergency situations. The agenda aims to guide providers, healthcare organizations, government agencies, and policymakers in ensuring that EMS contributes efficiently to community health while remaining the public’s emergency medical safety net. The document proposes the continued development of 14 specific EMS attributes, each serving as a chapter in the report. These attributes include the integration of health services, EMS research, legislation and regulation, system finance, human resources, medical direction, education systems, public education, prevention, public access, communication systems, clinical care, information systems, and evaluation. The agenda focuses specifically on aspects of EMS related to emergency care provided outside traditional healthcare facilities. It serves as a framework for stakeholders to examine lessons learned over the previous thirty years and to align their roles within a rapidly evolving healthcare system. The report emphasizes that realizing this vision requires a commitment from all involved parties to invest necessary resources, ensuring that emergency healthcare is reliably accessible, effective, subject to continuous evaluation, and integrated with the remainder of the health system. The proposed vision describes a future EMS entity developed through the redistribution of existing healthcare resources and integrated with other healthcare providers, public health, and public safety agencies. This new model is expected to possess the ability to identify and modify illness and injury risks, provide acute care and follow-up, contribute to the treatment of chronic conditions, and monitor community health. The anticipated outcomes include improved community health and a more appropriate use of acute healthcare resources. By establishing these 14 attributes, the agenda provides a structured approach for policymakers and practitioners to evaluate their roles and ensure that EMS systems are optimized for both emergency response and broader health management goals. The document concludes by offering access to copies of the agenda through NHTSA, reinforcing its role as a foundational guide for the future development of emergency medical services in the United States.

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• post crash care delays