2023 EMS Employee Turnover Study Released!
This content is for AAA members only.
Please either or Join!
Impact of Expiration of Public Health Emergency on May 11, 2023
This content is for AAA members only.
Please either or Join!
Employee Turnover Study Due 4/30 | iPad Raffle
The American Ambulance Association is partnering with Newton 360, an ambulance industry partner and Human Resource support firm, to conduct our fifth annual industry turnover study. Our intent is to comprehensively collect and analyze ambulance industry employee turnover data to produce a report that provides useful and actionable data. We are inviting EMS organizations to participate in the study. The study will be conducted and managed by Dennis Doverspike, PhD, and Rosanna Miguel, PhD, who are associated with the Center for Applied Talent Analytics at John Carroll University. Each individual or organizational response will be strictly confidential.
The purpose of the study is to better quantify and understand the reasons for turnover at nearly every organizational level within the EMS Industry. Thank you very much for your time and support.
Laying the Groundwork for Reducing Employee Turnover
Why participate in the survey?
- Educate elected officials, municipalities, and healthcare clients. The insight gained from this survey can help influence the actions, practices, or decisions of officials regarding regulatory and funding policies at the federal, regional, or local level. Specifically, this important data can help validate the critical staffing challenges faced by the EMS industry. This year, we continue to have queries related to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) even though it is scheduled to end on May 11, 2023. We feel that it is important to understand the lingering impact of the PHE on EMS turnover and its related costs.
- This study is critical to gaining insight into combating staff shortages. The AAA / Newton 360 2023 Ambulance Industry Employee Turnover Study aims to yield the information that organizations need to identify and benchmark their turnover challenges. Over the years this survey has been conducted, it has generated the largest response to a turnover survey ever published for the private EMS industry.
- Participating organizations will have full access to the final report at no charge. The comprehensive results of the study will be shared exclusively with each participating organization. Shorter write-ups and summaries of the results may be shared at conferences or published in relevant periodicals or journals.
Before You Start
It is recommended you gather information about your employees and about turnover before completing the questionnaire.
In this survey, we will be asking about headcount (filled and open positions), the number of employees leaving the organization, and reasons for employees leaving. We will be asking these questions for each of the following job categories: supervisor, dispatch, EMT, part-time EMT, paramedic, and part-time paramedic. Headcount refers to the number of filled and open positions for each job category at the end of 2022. Filled positions refer to the number of employees in each job category that were on payroll at the end of 2022. For each job category, the number of filled positions should be added to the number of open positions at the end of 2022 to determine the total headcount.
The survey will open on April 17th, 2023, and close at end of the day, on April 30th, 2023. The survey can be accessed by following the link below. If the hyperlink does not work when clicked, please copy the hyperlink and paste it into your browser.
https://johncarroll.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_57s6B8d92GW44wS
Thank you,
Scott Moore, Esq.
Newton 360
Workforce Dynamics, Inc.
(781) 236-4411 office
(781) 771-9914 mobile
www.newton360.com
4th Annual Study Shows Worsening EMS Turnover
Results from AAA/Newton 360 Fourth Annual EMS Industry Turnover Study Shows Worsening Employee Turnover
The American Ambulance Association (AAA) and Newton 360, an Emergency Medical Services (EMS)-based workforce management software platform, joined forces again this year to conduct the fourth annual survey of employee turnover in the EMS industry. The 2022 survey presents turnover data from 119 EMS organizations, representing more than 12,000 employees. This year, the survey included data regarding the percentage of positions reported to be open at the time of the survey, which showed that EMS agencies are having difficulty filling open positions.
Over the last few years, EMS organizations were impressive in meeting the challenges in the face of the continuing COVID-19 global pandemic. The EMS workforce rose to the challenge and battled the disease, despite the workforce shortages that have plagued the EMS profession and other healthcare partners for nearly a decade. EMS organizations have offered innovative solutions to public health crises, including establishing testing and vaccinations sites around the country, suggesting that EMS employers and employees are prepared to expand their role to include greater provision of preventive services and community-based healthcare.
Turnover Rates by Year by Occupational Category
(2021 Results Appear in Parentheses Below the 2022 Results)
| Average Turnover for the Year 2021 | Percentage of Open Positions Summer of 2022 | |||
| Occupation | Overall Turnover | Voluntary Turnover | Involuntary Turnover | Open Rate |
| Full-time EMT | 36%
(24%) |
31%
(19%) |
5%
(5%) |
11% |
| Part-time EMT | 36%
(28%) |
36%
(24%) |
4%
(5%) |
39% |
| Full-time Paramedic | 27%
(26%) |
26%
(20%) |
3%
(3%) |
30% |
| Part-time Paramedic | 30%
(23%) |
29%
(19%) |
2%
(3%) |
55% |
| Supervisor | 21%
(15%) |
16%
(11%) |
2%
(3%) |
13% |
| Dispatch | 29%
(30%) |
22%
(23%) |
6%
(6%) |
15% |
Voluntary and overall turnover increased for 2022, with the turnover rate being in the 20 to 36 percent range for EMTs and Paramedics, a 6% increase over the prior year. Meaning that EMS agencies are experiencing a full turnover of all staff every 3-4 years. Greater than one third of all new hires, turnover within their first year of employment. Not surprisingly, this converted into a relatively high rate of currently open positions, especially for EMTs and Paramedics at EMS agencies around the country.
In keeping with prior year’s surveys, the primary reasons for cited for turnover across all positions within EMS agencies is low pay and benefits, followed by a change in career. While many agencies offered stipends and increase wages in an effort to incentivize employees, it has not flattened the turnover curve. One of the key findings in this year’s survey is the significant increase in open positions for those EMTS and Paramedics working in a part time capacity. The open position rate for part-time paramedics was at a staggering 55%, suggesting that those who previously worked EMS as a second job no longer find it an attractive part time career choice.
This study evidences a need to embark upon a larger initiative to collect data on the EMS workforce in the U.S. A report published by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) stated that there will be a need for an additional 40,000 EMS personnel by 2030, in part, because of the recognition of the valuable education, training, and experience individuals working in the EMS field offer in other healthcare settings. This will necessitate an extensive understanding of the nature and reasons for turnover in EMS-related occupations.
New for Members | 2022 Human Resources Manual!
The 2022 Human Resources Toolkit includes the addition of numerous practice notes intended to provide EMS leaders with a more practical understanding of the legal principles that necessitate much of the language found in many of the sample policies in the HR Manual. Additionally, the practice notes provide suggestions for EMS agencies to better insulate the organization from legal liability.
Download Your Member E-Books!
Did you know? All American Ambulance Association PDF E-Books are now free to members! This $1000+ value is yet another way that AAA is delivering value through membership.
New releases include the 2021 Medicare Reference Manual, 2021 HIPAA Manual, and 2021 Human Resources Toolkit!
Please note that you must be logged in using your member account in order to see the $0.00 member e-book pricing. The link to download your e-book will be delivered in your email order confirmation.
Not yet a member? Join today to gain access!
Study | EMS Super-Utilizers
The Penn State College of Medicine is conducting a national study of social needs in EMS patients, particularly in regards to potential interventions for EMS super-utilizers (frequent flyers). The study consists of an approximately 7 minute online survey with questions about provider (911-EMT, Paramedic, EMS Physician) knowledge of social needs, recognition of patient needs, perceptions of possible interventions, and background information. Those who participate will have the option to enter into a drawing for a $50 gift card.
With the implementation of programs such as ET3, we are hoping to hear from as many EMS providers as possible to give them a voice in how to best to address social needs and EMS super-utilizers. As such, we are hoping you consider sharing our study flyer, study overview from JEMS, or the study link with your employees and/or social media.
New E-Books Free to Members!
Did you know? All American Ambulance Association PDF E-Books are now free to members! This $1000+ value is yet another way that AAA is delivering value through membership.
New releases include the 2021 Medicare Reference Manual, 2021 HIPAA Manual, and 2021 Human Resources Toolkit!
Please note that you must be logged in using your member account in order to see the $0.00 member e-book pricing. The link to download your e-book will be delivered in your email order confirmation.
Not yet a member? Join today to gain access!
AAA E-Books Are Now Free to Members!
Did you know? All American Ambulance Association PDF E-Books are now free to members! This $1000+ value is yet another way that AAA is delivering value through membership.
Please note that you must be logged in using your member account in order to see the $0.00 member e-book pricing. The link to download your e-book will be delivered in your email order confirmation.
Not yet a member? Join today to gain access!
On Demand Presentation: Emergency Medical Services and 911
Healthcare Resilience Task Force: EMS/911
May 29, 2020
Dr. Jon Krohmer, NHTSA, HRTF EMS/Pre-hospital Team Lead
Kate Elkins, NHTSA, HRTF EMS/Pre-hospital Deputy Team Lead
911, the universal number to call for emergency help nationwide, is a proven, life-saving service to the public. NHTSA’s Office of EMS oversees the National 911 Program, which envisions an emergency response system that best serves the public, providing immediate help in all emergency situations. This presentation covered the current Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Environment, Impacts and Next Steps for EMS in regards to COVID-19, and EMS and Fire Impacts on Community Lifelines.
EMS by the Numbers: Impact of COVID-19
May 21, 2020
Presentation by N. Clay Mann PhD, MS, MBA
NEMSIS Technical Assistance Center
This document is provided by NHTSA in an effort to help State EMS Officials track particular EMS activations occurring during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This document will be updated periodically to provide current information regarding temporal variations in the type and characteristics of EMS activations occurring in the U.S. during the COVID‐19 outbreak.
Please contact the NEMSIS Technical Assistance Center for updates to this document.
Contact N. Clay Mann at clay.mann@hsc.utah.edu.
Ambulance Industry Journal Archives
Calling all mobile healthcare history buffs! In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the American Ambulance Association, check out the archives of the Ambulance Industry Journal, the association’s magazine in the 1990s-2000s. You might just see some familiar faces in action!
Dropbox link to archives: https://ems.zone/aijarchives
