Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma

Current Projects

• Mortality Risks Associated With Living in Ambulance Deserts
  This project will use ambulance data from the Maine Rural Health Research Center and from CDC WONDER to assess whether living in an ambulance desert is associated with higher mortality rates among rural and urban populations.
  Research center: Maine Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma, Healthcare access
  
• Rural and Urban Sepsis Outcomes as a Measure of Health Care Quality: A Nationwide Comparative Analysis Using HCUP Data
  This study examines differences in sepsis prevalence, outcomes, costs, and treatment between rural and urban hospitals using the HCUP Nationwide Readmissions Database. It aims to inform policies related to access to timely, high-quality sepsis care and identify strategies to enhance healthcare outcomes across diverse hospital settings.
  Research center: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Care management, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma, Healthcare access, Hospitals and clinics, Medicaid and CHIP, Medicare, Medicare Advantage (MA), Private health insurance, Quality, Social determinants of health
  
• Rural-Urban Differences in Emergency Department Utilization and Costs for Dental Conditions
  Emergency Department (ED) Utilization is a de facto provider for untreated dental issues. Understanding rural-urban differences in ED use for dental conditions in recent years is essential to inform federal, state, and community-level dental health initiatives such as preventive dental care, tele-dentistry infrastructure expansion, and oral hygiene practices. Ongoing national efforts addressing rural disparities in dental care should target individuals most at risk for missing preventive care and utilizing the ED for dental care.
  Research center: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma, Oral health
  
• Socioeconomic Profiles and Market Characteristics Associated with Ambulance Deserts
  We will address the extent to which vulnerable, aging populations live in ambulance deserts and identify ambulance desert populations facing additional barriers to healthcare access. We will also assess the impact of hospital closures on travel distances to the nearest health care facilities.
  Research center: Maine Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma, Healthcare access, Rural statistics and demographics, Social determinants of health, Transportation