By Macall Leslie Salewon, MPH, Epidemiologist
Background
Nonfatal overdoses far outnumber fatalities—and they’re a daily reality for EMS. This month’s data report analyzes nationwide EMS responses captured on the ImageTrend biospatial platform for 2024, highlighting what’s happening in the field and where targeted action can save lives.
Inside the Report
Response characteristics from real EMS encounters:
- 87% transported, 6% AMA, and 2% requiring resuscitation.
- Documentation of patient/bystander-reported drug use (34%) and paraphernalia on scene (15%).
Context that matters:
- Overdose deaths exceed 100,000 annually.
- ED visits are several times higher, and only 1 in 4 people with OUD receive treatment.
- Naloxone access varies widely by geography.
Practical guidance:
- Expand bystander and first-responder interventions, increase community access to naloxone, and address non-opioid and polysubstance overdose protocols while reducing stigma and barriers to care.
- Use this short report to benchmark your system’s experience against national patterns and to inform training, community partnerships, and harm-reduction strategies.
Download the full report to get the data, measures, and operational takeaways your teams can put to work now.
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