EMS Revamp in Rural and Urban Spaces

Table of Contents

• Trivia!

  • Onslow County Revamps EMS Dispatch: Community Paramedics to Handle Minor Medical and Fall Calls

  • Michigan EMS Heroes Honored at ‘Stars of Life’ for Their Extraordinary Service

  • Healthcare Hits the Road: Rural Communities Get New Lifeline

New Program

Onslow County, North Carolina is expanding its Community Paramedic Response Initiative by changing dispatch practices to make services more efficient and appropriate to need. Under the new system, Community Paramedics will automatically respond to low-level medical calls and fall calls without serious injury—cases that previously might have required a full EMS ambulance. When they arrive, these paramedics conduct full assessments to determine if an emergency room visit is needed or if care would be better handled by urgent care or primary care. The intent is to free up ambulances for more critical emergencies and ensure resources are used more efficiently. This change aligns with Onslow County’s strategic plan to promote a healthier and safer community.

Celebration

Four EMS providers from the southeast region of Michigan were honored at the "Stars of Life" ceremony held at the state Capitol by the Michigan Association of Ambulance Services (MAAS). The biennial event, which this year recognized 67 EMS practitioners statewide, celebrates those who go above and beyond in serving their communities. Among those honored were James Desentz and Tim Driver from Huron Valley Ambulance, and Ashley LaPres and Jac Shu from Livingston County EMS.

Their stories included exemplary work such as leadership in critical care, mentoring new EMTs and paramedics, and going the extra mile in patient care—one even organizing and building a wheelchair ramp for a homebound patient. MAAS emphasized that EMS providers are essential in bringing skill, compassion, and calm in emergencies, and that the program is meant to highlight the outstanding contributions these individuals make in keeping communities safe.

New Clinic

Sky Lakes Medical Center is launching a Mobile Health Clinic to bring primary care directly into rural and underserved areas. It will debut September 23 at the Age Well Expo in Klamath Falls, offering services such as flu vaccinations, and then begin a regular schedule in October. The first regular stop will be in the Beatty area (at the Beatty Community Center) from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on October 15. Future stops will include Chiloquin and Merrill starting in November. The clinic model is “pop-up”—meaning flexible and mobile—to reduce barriers to care for people living far from traditional clinics. Sky Lakes and its partners aim to reduce health disparities, improve access to preventive and routine care, and tailor services over time based on community feedback.