JEMS

CMS Improper Payment Data Sends a Clear Message to EMS: Documentation Presents Greater Risk Than Coding The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported a 13.2 percent improper payment rate for ambulance services in 2024, totaling approximately $595 million due to insufficient documentation.

The improper payment rate for ambulance services in 2024 was 13.2 percent ($595 million) that CMS determined were improper. The overwhelming majority stem from insufficient documentation: https://ow.ly/r5YE50Yta4Y

Prehospital Care in CBRNE Incidents: An Integrated, Zone-Based Approach for Fire, EMS, and Critical Care Providers Editor’s Note: Dr. Christopher Mclaughlin will present Prehospital Management of CBRNE Incidents: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Firefighters, EMS, and

CBRNE calls demand fast triage, zone discipline, and smart airway + antidote decisions.
EMS providers — check out this breakdown built for real-world operations.
👉 Read the full article: https://ow.ly/5LrV50YsEz4

In EMS, difficult conversations aren’t optional—they’re part of the job.
In our latest episode, Chief Shane Wheeler and Assistant Chief Jon Detweiler break down why conflict isn’t a sign of failure, but a doorway to stronger teams and safer care: https://ow.ly/hvwj50YrWrR

Exit Light, Enter Dispatch: Chasing Sleep and Fighting Fatigue in EMS Fatigue in EMS poses risks to patient safety and provider health, with many providers reporting severe fatigue symptoms.

EMS isn’t “tired.”
EMS is chronically sleep‑deprived and pretending it’s normal.

After 24 hours awake, you’re basically operating at legally drunk impairment…
but still giving meds, driving code 3, and making split‑second decisions: https://ow.ly/t4Ic50YroxP

Flight nurse Nurse Gwenny breaks down the real learning curve in EMS — the part after the textbook ends.
From pre‑med burnout ➝ ER ➝ flight nursing, she’s reshaping education for the crews who don’t have time to slow down.
New episode live 🎙️https://ow.ly/gtP750YqKnN

Dear Student, Here’s What Your EMS Instructor Wants You to Know Christine Turner expresses her belief in students' potential, emphasizing support and encouragement throughout the challenges of the program.

EMS training isn’t just skills and exams.
It’s confidence‑building.
It’s mentorship.
It’s caring for the whole person.
It’s pushing students to see the greatness their instructors already see.

👉 Full article: https://ow.ly/zWYE50Yql2P

SIMULATION CASE: https://ow.ly/cJSk50YoJJ6

Trapped victim, crushed arm, confined space. 🧰
Heavy Rescue Squad ran a simulation to test shoring, ventilation, and team protocols.
Field amputation is rare and high-risk—practice and communication save lives. #FireRescue #EMS #SimulationTraining

EMS at the Crossroads: How MS Can Lead a Rural Healthcare Revolution The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), passed on July 4, 2025, reduces Medicaid funding while providing $50 billion for rural healthcare, including $100 million for Mississippi's EMS transformation.

EMS Crossroads: How Mississippi Can Lead a Rural Healthcare Revolution -
https://ow.ly/oyLq50Yofn6

EMS is more than “emergency.” Think of it like the Green Berets of healthcare: small teams, elite skills, operating anywhere to keep people safe. It’s time we show the world what we actually do.

Tulsa EMS isn’t just responding to 911 calls—they’re preventing them. ART-2 combines paramedics and behavioral health specialists to provide on-scene care and connect clients to housing, social services, and treatment. 74% drop in 911 calls for enrolled clients: https://ow.ly/10tn50YmG2r

Maternity Care Deserts: Applying NAEMT and ACOG Guidelines to Real-World EMS Protocols According to a March of Dimes report, 35% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts, leading to increased EMS deliveries and risks for mothers and infants.

Maternal care deserts are no longer rare. They are operational reality: https://ow.ly/bksb50YlXfz

The Future of EMS Was in That Room The National Collegiate EMS Foundation's 33rd Annual Conference in Arlington, Virginia, gathered over 1,200 attendees from more than 110 colleges, showcasing student EMS professionals' dedication and expertise.

What I witnessed at that conference was not a group of students dabbling in emergency medicine as a résumé builder. This was a community of more than a thousand highly educated, clinically capable professionals who have chosen EMS deliberately.

Meet Kraig Kinney, Indiana State Director of EMS and attorney focused on EMS & healthcare law.

He brings leadership experience in government, nonprofit organizations, and EMS policy, along with a strong legal background.

Part of our series introducing the voices helping shape where EMS goes next

Educational Benefits of Using Body-Worn Camera Videos in EMS Body-worn camera videos are enhancing emergency medical service training by providing realistic scenarios, improving skill retention, and aiding quality assurance.

Some EMS skills are critical.
Some EMS skills are rare.

A 16 state review found just 88 prehospital surgical airways in more than 2.3 million patients.

How do we train for what we rarely see?

Body worn camera footage is emerging as one answer: https://ow.ly/Mn8L50Yiq8v

Penetrating trauma kills in minutes.

• Hemorrhage control first
• Minimal crystalloids
• Permissive hypotension
• Early TXA
• Blood products
• Short scene times

Focus on what stops bleeding and gets the patient to definitive care: https://ow.ly/kIJC50YhEEa

The EMS Profession Is Stalled Between Expectation and Reality EMS faces challenges with low pay and high turnover, with EMT and paramedic turnover rates at 20-30%. The American Ambulance Association highlights compensation as a key issue.

The EMS Profession Is Stalled Between Expectation and Reality: https://ow.ly/mzLp50YcCON

EMS has found itself in a paradox for decades. On one hand, we are encouraged to elevate the profession to the level of nursing, complete with degree requirements, advanced education, and improved compensation.

Myths You Were Taught in Paramedic School Devin Bartlett will teach "From Blood Pressure to Bicarb: EMS Myths You Were Taught in School" at FDIC International, addressing outdated EMS education and practices.

Myths You Were Taught in Paramedic School: https://ow.ly/uTzi50Ya7iN

EMS myths persist...from spinal immobilization to “transport first.” Evidence tells a different story. Ask why, learn more, and advocate for your patients.

We Can’t ‘Suck It Up’ Anymore: Why EMS Needs Proactive Mental Health Counseling In EMS, taking care of each other is just as important as taking care of our patients.

Burnout wasn’t new to EMS.
COVID just stripped away the last bit of margin.

More than half of EMS providers reported burnout after the pandemic. A lot of them never asked for help, not because they were okay, but because they didn’t trust the system.

https://ow.ly/ViOw50Y8gp5

Beyond Emergency Response: How EMS is Transforming Fall Prevention Through Grab Bar Installation Falls are a leading cause of injury and death for older adults in the U.S., with approximately 36 million falls annually. Emergency Medical Services in Ohio are implementing programs for…

4 EMS agencies profiled in this article demonstrate how community paramedics can address falls before they occur. By installing grab bars and implementing other home modifications, some programs have shown measurable reductions in fall-related calls: https://ow.ly/gzPA50Y7n5M

Why FDIC International Is the Home for Modern Fire and EMS Education FDIC International is evolving into a comprehensive educational environment for fire and EMS professionals.

FDIC International isn't just a fire conference—it's the ultimate hub for EMS education! Dive into cutting-edge insights, hands-on skills, and the future of prehospital care. Don’t miss out! 🔥🚑
https://ow.ly/Kn7J50Y5obS

When the Streets Disagree, Part II: Why EMS Must Finally Build Its Own Evidence Authority EMS must acknowledge its disconnect from evidence systems designed for different environments and take steps to establish its own authority, utilizing existing organizations for support.

We bring the care, but too often use evidence built for hospitals. This article explains why EMS needs its own evidence authority that matches field realities. Worth reading: https://ow.ly/naMR50Y4tSJ
#EMS #PrehospitalCare

Meet Daniel Moran, one of the newest members of the JEMS advisory board and the Vice President of Education at Handtevy. Daniel brings real world EMS experience, a provider first mindset, and a strong background in education and training.

Operational decisions should follow evidence, not habit.
Virginia Beach EMS shares why they reduced lights and sirens on non emergent calls and what it means for safety and outcomes.
Full episode:
https://ow.ly/jNym50XZbZ3

We Train People for the Streets and Then Promote the Wrong Ones Promotion pipelines in EMS favor compliance over field leadership, leading to disengagement and high turnover as capable medics feel overlooked and undervalued.

There’s a dangerous paradox in EMS leadership pipelines: We reward system compliance over peer influence: https://ow.ly/yIXU50XY6nv

The Effects of Energy Drinks on The Body Energy drinks, popular among young adults, contain high caffeine levels and other ingredients that can affect cardiovascular and neurological systems. Excessive consumption may lead to serious health issues.

We, as EMS providers, must be able to understand that what we are seeing with our patients may be the result of energy drinks: https://ow.ly/5soV50XVOtM

This federal bill could change how EMS works every day.
Sam Magill breaks down what it means for treat-in-place, Mobile Integrated Health, and real support for providers doing the work.
Full conversation on YouTube: https://ow.ly/J5NU50XUb2h

MI Town Agrees to $3.25 Million Settlement in Case of Woman Found Alive in a Body Bag A Detroit suburb agreed to a $3.25 million settlement with the family of Timesha Beauchamp, who was declared dead but later found to be alive at a funeral home.

https://ow.ly/cQ7N50XT05B

States of Pulselessness True cardiac arrest involves the cessation of mechanical activity, with rhythms categorized as shockable or non-shockable.

Not every pulseless patient is truly in cardiac arrest.
True arrest = no mechanical activity.
Sometimes there’s still electrical or weak mechanical activity, just not enough to create a pulse or real circulation.

https://ow.ly/B2nY50XStH4

Reevaluating Paramedicine: Advancing Education and Feedback to Strengthen Prehospital Care Paramedics have evolved into mobile clinicians, providing acute and long-term care, especially in underserved areas, while facing underrecognition and outdated perceptions in healthcare.

Reevaluating Paramedicine: Advancing Education and Feedback to Strengthen Prehospital Care - https://ow.ly/QCjj50XRjnb

Redefining Success in RSI: Prioritizing Resuscitation over Rapid in EMS Emergency medical services have redefined airway management success to include avoiding adverse events like hypoxia and hypotension, using the DASH-1A metric for better patient outcomes.

Airway success is more than getting the tube on the first try. It means first pass without hypoxia, hypotension, or harm. Rethink RSI and focus on resuscitation, not just rapid. Read more: https://ow.ly/kuau50XQ28e

Communication shouldn’t be an afterthought in EMS. It shapes trust, culture, and how our teams function on the street. Dr. Anthony Minge breaks down what intentional communication really looks like in real EMS systems.
🎧 Full episode: https://ow.ly/flO150XP7rR