Rural Readiness Grant: Improving Medical Transportation Access

Rural Michigan residents struggle to get to medical appointments because of a lack of transportation options.
When people cannot get to routine care, they often call 911
for non-emergencies. This puts extra stress on EMS crews
and costs taxpayers’ money. The Rural Health Group and Central Michigan University's Rural Health Excellence Institute are working together to improve access to care.

Help shape the future of non-emergency medical transportation in rural Michigan

We are talking with EMS professionals to learn how Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) could work with daily EMS operations. NEMT helps people get to routine medical appointments without using emergency services. Your ideas will help create a step-by-step guide that other EMS organizations can use. Participate in a confidential 90-minute interview and receive a $100 honorarium for your time. Your experience can help solve transportation problems for rural residents who need medical care. To participate, fill out the short form below.

About the grant

We are studying how rural EMS organizations can add NEMT services to help people get to routine medical appointments. Our findings will be used to create a guidebook that EMS organizations across Michigan can use to start offering NEMT services.

Purpose and goals

• The Problem: Many vulnerable rural residents currently rely on 911 emergency services for routine medical appointments, creating unnecessary costs and reducing the availability of emergency services for true emergencies.
• Our Solution: We are researching the feasibility of adding dedicated NEMT services to existing EMS operations to better serve rural communities.

What participation involves

• Format: Face-to-face interview at a place that works for you
• Length: About 90 minutes.
• Topics: We will talk about topics like daily operations, potential barriers, and ideas for integrating NEMT.
• Recording: With your permission, we will record audio for accuracy.
• Payment: You will receive a $100 honorarium for your time.

Your knowledge will help us create a practical guidebook for other EMS organizations to start NEMT services in their communities. This research could improve healthcare access for rural residents throughout Michigan. It could reduce unnecessary use of emergency services and create a new way for EMS organizations to generate revenue.

Who we want to participate

We are seeking EMS professionals with decision-making responsibility, including chiefs, administrators, managers, or others. We welcome participants from all EMS organization types, from municipal to for-profit.

Confidentiality and your rights

• All your answers will be kept private.
• Your name and organization will not appear in any published results without your prior approval.
• You can refuse to answer any question or stop the interview at any time.
• You can leave the study at any time.

Frequently asked questions

What are the risks of participating?

Risks are minimal. Participation is voluntary, and you can decline any question or end the interview at any time.

What are the benefits?

Results will inform a practical guidebook that helps EMS organizations develop NEMT services in their communities.

How will my information be protected?

All information you share will remain confidential, and we will publish results only in a form that cannot identify you or your organization, unless you give us explicit permission. All audio files and notes will be stored safely and destroyed.

Will I be paid?

Yes, all participants receive $100 honorarium for their time.

Who is funding this project?

This project is funded by a Rural Readiness Grant from the Office of Rural Prosperity in the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

Who can I contact with questions?

For questions about the project:
John Jervinsky, Program Manager
Phone: 989-746-7515
Email: john.jervinsky@cmich.edu