Ohio Flex

Emergency Medical

Services (EMS)

Projects

Daniel Prokop

Flex/SHIP Coordinator

State Office of Rural Health

Ohio Department of Health

July 18, 2018

Regional Alliance• Southeast Ohio EMS Regional Alliance

• EMS staff, mostly chiefs, in the region meet quarterly

• Share best practices

• Discuss obstacles

• Foster relationships – considering hosting regional trainings

• Startup funds were provided with a $5000 Flex grant

Needs Assessment

• 480 surveys distributed to rural EMS agencies

• Asked both open-ended and closed-ended questions

• 3 deep dive projects

• Follow-up survey one year later

• Focus groups

• Final recommendations expected in August

Needs Assessment:Survey

Needs Assessment: Staffing Status

Question 3: How many total ambulance personnel are currently on the roster at this ambulance

agency?

Needs Assessment:Staff Licensure & Agency Staffing

Needs Assessment: Respondent Suggested Retention Actions

Needs Assessment:Recruitment

Needs Assessment:Focus Groups

• Five regional meetings• Local EMS Chiefs

• Key Problem Identified• Lack of funding

• Ideas for Flex Funding• Grant Coordinator

• Grant management toolkit

• Marketing materials

• In-person trainings w/simulators

Lack of Volunteers Cost of staffing one ambulance 24 hours per day 365 days per year $402,785 worth of free labor

Lack of Support

• Not receiving enough funding to fully staff or buy life saving equipment

• Private ambulances offering to provide services to the county for cheaper then raising the cost year over year or disappearing all together

Next Steps

• Recommendations will be coming out in August

• Will develop next steps based on the recommendations will receive

EMS Sustainability Grant

• Paramedic Refreshers

• Hands-on training w/simulators

• Webinars

Contact Information

Daniel Prokop, MHA

Flex/SHIP Coordinator

Ohio Department of Health

Daniel.Prokop@odh.ohio.gov