New York State’s fragmented emergency medical services system: an exposé

Abstract

EMS is the backdrop of our lives. It’s something that we don’t need to think about, until a moment arises where there are no other thoughts. In and out of the shadows, they hide in plain sight in wait of a situation to do what they’ve been trained for. They’re there when we need them, even should we refuse their help. But when it comes down to it, do we really know that much about them? How can an industry that serves as the backbone of society exist so mysteriously, even almost anonymously? The organization of the EMS industry in New York State is flawed. It has evolved into a fragmented system that disadvantages rural and non-urban communities, and EMS providers across the state. We’re on the verge of a reckoning with the current EMS system, and it’s long overdue.