Rural and Frontier Emergency Medical Services: Agenda for the Future by Kevin K. McGinnis - Essay Example

"Rural and Frontier Emergency Medical Services: Agenda for the Future by Kevin K. McGinnis" is an engrossing example of a paper on the health system. ‘Rural and Frontier Emergency Medical Services: Agenda for the Future’ by Kevin K. McGinnis emphasizes the need for integrated healthcare services that help expedite medical services in emergencies in rural areas. The document is a policy blueprint for facilitating emergency health services in the most remote regions through collaborative efforts and proactive participation of the rural community. Most importantly, it makes an effort to raise issues like funding, training, and development, use of advanced medical tools and equipment to meet the challenges of emergencies in rural areas. It also highlights the importance of collective actions of diverse government and non-government agencies to deal effectively with rural and frontier emergency medical services.

The agenda was evolved with the vision to ensure equity in healthcare services, including emergency medical services in rural and frontier regions. It would encourage rapid response with a basic and advanced level of healthcare as required in an emergency and serve as a community resource for prevention, care, evaluation, referral and advice as determined by communities. Its aims and objectives for improved healthcare and state of the art emergency services in these settings would be chiefly met by the shared efforts of various rural, state and federal health care agencies. Integrated efforts of healthcare and public safety agencies are vital to the effectiveness of EMS based community healthcare services in rural and frontier areas.

The finance system of rural and frontier EMS has been a major focus, which is crucial not only for providing first class EMS but also for supporting its wider objectives of training, evaluation, prevention, etc. While volunteers and community support has been exemplary, training of volunteers and professionals in specialized areas of medical emergency is highly relevant. The document is a serious effort in policymaking; it stresses the fact that EMS effectiveness is enhanced by integrating other community-based healthcare services and resources for an optimal outcome. It also emphasizes the need to evolve effective communication strategies to meet the challenges of cultural diversities of contemporary American society, especially in rural and frontier regions.

I agree that rural and frontier EMS must form linkages with other public safety organizations and healthcare agencies so that emergency cases can have fast access to the best medical care. Eighty percent of American land is rural and frontier area and it represents twenty percent of the population (McGinnis, 2004). Thus, for more than 35 miles, people have literally no proper access to good medical care. Indeed, presently, rural and frontier EMS lacks advanced life support and linkages with other public safety agencies which adversely affects emergency response time. Though rural and frontier EMS relies on volunteers and community support, access to good medical care becomes critical in a rural emergency. There is a need for trained volunteers and training in specialty areas. In the changing dynamics of the socio-economic and cultural environment, community-based EMS services have become a major asset. They not only provide necessary resources but also significantly improve responsiveness to emergencies. The policy document is, therefore, an extremely important ingredient in establishing an effective healthcare system.

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