Plagued by EMS worker shortages and poor funding, rural EMS services in Minnesota get some much-needed help

Lawmakers approved a new pilot program to address the
state's rural EMS response times. (Adobe Stock photo)

Rural ambulance services have been short-staffed for years, but in Minnesota, the situation has become so extreme that lawmakers have stepped in with financial support and a 'sprint' pilot program. "The 'EMS emergency' declared by Minnesota lawmakers is far from over, but rural services in the state recently got some good news," reports Elizabeth Daigneau of Route Fifty. Legislators approved a $30 million aid package for rural emergency medical services.

The bill provides $24 million in emergency aid for EMS providers and focuses on providing relief to the state's non-urban regions. "It would also create a new Office of Emergency Medical Services to oversee Minnesota's EMS network," Daigneau explains. "Most notably, it would provide $6 million to launch a 'sprint medic' pilot program in three counties in northern Minnesota."

The sprint medic concept is meant to streamline EMS responses by "sending out a single paramedic in a car or truck directly to an emergency to begin treatment," Daigneau reports. "The idea is that these roving paramedics who would be patrolling the area have more training than the current emergency medical technicians. . . . They could reach emergencies more quickly. . . and, in some cases, resolve calls to keep ambulances with advanced life support equipment from being dispatched unnecessarily."

While $30 million won't solve all the EMS struggles, it will help response times. David Kirchner, evaluation coordinator for the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, told Daigneau, "In some communities, the situation is becoming dire enough that not only are the ambulances not sufficient, but there's not even someone to answer the phone when 911 calls the ambulance company."

The bill was routed to Gov. Tim Walz’s desk for approval. While it isn't the $120 million originally requested, Daigneau adds, "supporters say it still provides some much needed relief."