EMS-Based Mobile Integrated Healthcare/Community Paramedicine programs in rural areas could fill an important gap for areas struggling to meet the healthcare AND EMS needs.

This Policy Brief from the National Rural Health Association does a great job articulating the benefits of MIH/CP programs, and the economic challenge to sustaining this valuable model.

Although this brief focuses on rural areas, the concepts cross over to most EMS-based MIH/CP delivery models.

Download the full policy brief below:

nrha-policy-brief-community-paramedicine-final 2-2025.pdf

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Key Quotes from the Policy Brief:

"Mobile integrated health care-community paramedicine (MIH-CP) programs have demonstrated substantial success in various regions, showing how community paramedicine can effectively address health care gaps. These programs reduce emergency department visits by offering preventive care, chronic disease management, and follow-up services, which are especially impactful in rural and underserved communities."

"Community paramedicine is an under-recognized part of health care especially in rural areas where access to institutional health care is limited, and patients must travel long distances for services. The community paramedicine model can benefit rural emergency medical services (EMS) agencies by reducing 911 requests for non-urgent, non-transport services that are not reimbursable as emergency services, decreasing the downtime between calls, using their medical skills and expertise, and improving access to providers to meet the community's primary care needs. It also has the potential to increase revenue by billing patients or third-party payers for services provided when appropriate, thereby making it a self-sustaining model." 

"A national reimbursement policy is essential to sustain and expand community paramedicine. By enabling EMS personnel to be recognized and compensated for their health care contributions, rural and underserved areas stand to gain improved health outcomes, enhanced access, and reduced disparities. It is vital for policymakers to support these measures to ensure EMS professionals can continue their work effectively, particularly in isolated communities."

"Setting up a national reimbursement policy and recognizing EMS workers as health care providers, will improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and sustain these important programs. It is important to provide sufficient funding to keep these programs operational to ensure they have a positive impact. This will help EMS workers and practitioners continue providing essential services especially in rural areas, offering a path to better health care access for all Americans."