EMS AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE - WHERE WE ARE ... WHERE WE WANT TO BE

During the past 30 years, emergency medical services (EMS) in the Unit ed States have experienced explosive growth. The American health care system is now transforming, providing an opportune time to examine wha t we have learned over the past three decades in order to create a vis ion for the future of EMS. Over the course of several months, a multid isciplinary steering committee collaborated with hundreds of EMS-inter ested individuals, organizations, and agencies to develop the ''EMS Ag enda for the Future. Fourteen EMS attributes were identified as requir ing continued development in order to realize the vision established w ithin the Agenda. They are Integration of Health Services, EMS Researc h, Legislation and Regulation, System Finance, Human Resources, Medica l Direction, Education Systems, Public Education, Prevention, Public A ccess, Communication Systems, Clinical Care, Information Systems, and Evaluation. Discussion of these attributes provides important guidance for achieving a vision for the future of EMS that emphasizes its crit ical role in American health care.