Emergency Medical Services and Primary Health Care linkage: a potential solution for effective emergency response in rural areas: the case of Ukraine.
Frontiers in Public Health · 2025-01-01 · Other / unclear
Abstract
Ukraine's emergency medical system faces significant challenges, particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas, where gaps in coordination, infrastructure, and access to care persist. Despite investments and reforms, the fragmentation between Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Primary Health Care (PHC) has limited the effectiveness of emergency response, especially in rural areas. This viewpoint proposes the integration of EMS and PHC as a strategic solution to enhance response capacity, reduce delays, and improve health outcomes in rural populations. Drawing on the successful model from the Asturias region in Spain, an example of PHC network for WHO and where PHC is embedded in emergency response pathways, the article outlines a feasible roadmap for Ukraine that may be followed by other countries to improve emergency response in rural areas. Key elements include the establishment of joint protocols, integrated communication systems, standardized referral pathways, and targeted personnel training. Following European Union regulations, the adoption of a single emergency number (112) is also discussed as a critical step toward improved interagency coordination. By aligning PHC infrastructure with EMS operations, Ukraine can strengthen its emergency care system and ensure equitable access to timely medical interventions across its territory.
Abstract © the authors or publisher, via PubMed. Reuse and removal
Tags
Communication & handover · Equity & disparities · Interagency collaboration · Rural & remote
Related articles
- Rural-urban disparities in Emergency Medical Services: a qualitative study of barriers and opportunities in Rivers State, Nigeria. (Afr J Emerg Med, 2026)
- EMS at 3600 Meters: Exploring Barriers to Emergency Care and Transport in Rural Andean Perú. (Prehosp Disaster Med, 2021)
- National Characteristics of Emergency Medical Services in Rural and Frontier Areas: A 2024 Update on Rural-Urban Differences in EMS Care. (Prehosp Emerg Care, 2026)
- Assessment of Prehospital Emergency Care Resources in Urban and Rural Rwanda Using the WHO Health System Framework: A Cross-Sectional Study. (Rwanda J Med Health Sci, 2026)
- Reducing rural health inequity through drone-based delivery: a spatial multi-criteria decision framework prioritizing epidemiological vulnerability in hub location. (Front Public Health, 2026)
- The five-link theory for improving the integrated and balanced development of emergency medical care in urban and rural areas. (J Glob Health, 2025)