National EMS Research Agenda

Area of Science:

• Prehospital Care
• Emergency Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Emergency medical services (EMS) professionals provide critical care in unpredictable environments.
• Despite decades of service, the optimal effectiveness of current EMS practices lacks sufficient evidence.
• There is a recognized need to improve the scientific basis of prehospital care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for increased national investment in the EMS research infrastructure.
• To highlight the necessity of funding for training new researchers and supporting career development.
• To emphasize the importance of research in developing effective prehospital treatments for conditions like injury and cardiac arrest.

Main Methods:

• The document outlines the need for innovative strategies to facilitate EMS research in emergency settings.
• It stresses the importance of accessing patient outcome data for evaluation and improvement.
• The necessity of applying scientific methodology to evaluate new biomedical and technical advances is discussed.

Main Results:

• Current EMS practices may not be optimal due to a lack of evidence.
• A robust research infrastructure is essential for accumulating evidence on EMS effectiveness.
• Research is key to improving prehospital care and community health outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Elevating the science of EMS and prehospital care requires dedicated research efforts.
• Innovative strategies and rigorous evaluation are needed to enhance patient care and safety.
• Further research is essential to answer critical questions and improve existing practices in emergency medical services.