emergency medical services at the crossroads future of emergency care uploaded by louis l amour emergency medical services at the crossroads describes the development of ems over the last four decades and the fragmented system that exists today it explores a range of issues that affect the delivery of prehospital ems including. Committee on the future of emergency care in the united states health system institute of medicine washington dc usa national academies press 2006 in june 2006 the institute of medicine iom released this report that describes the development of emergency medical services ems systems in the us and the fragmented system that exists today. Emergency medical services ems is a critical component of our nations emergency and trauma care system providing response and medical transport to millions of sick and injured americans each year at its best ems is a crucial link to survival in the chain of care but within the last several years complex problems facing the emergency care system have emerged. Emergency medical services at the crossroads describes the development of ems over the last four decades and the fragmented system that exists today it explores a range of issues that affect the delivery of prehospital ems including communications systems coordination of the regional flow of patients to hospitals and trauma centers reimbursement of ems national training and credentialing standards innovations in triage treatment and transport integration of all components of ems . The committee on the future of emergency care in the united states health system ably chaired by gail warden set out to examine the emergency care system in the united states explore its emergency care at the breaking point emergency medical services at the crossroads and emergency