EMS providers and leaders across all levels of care reported staffing to be one of the top challenges facing the industry. Demographic data collected by Deloitte on the current United States EMS workforce shows that the majority of EMS personnel are Caucasian and male. There is a justifiable concern regarding the stability of the EMS workforce, and because of this, providers should look for innovative recruiting and retention practices that appeal to a larger audience, specifically underrepresented populations. Research conducted by Delaware State University and funded by the Savvik Foundation suggests that EMS is not as welcoming of females and individuals from the BIPOC community. This session will examine the research and will discuss how future efforts by the University and the Foundation will be focused on outcomes-based solutions.
