Paramedics are in short supply in the Ozark area.
The Arkansas Department of Health reports that 10 percent of EMS providers did not renew their licenses this year. Mercy Hospital reports 17 openings for paramedics across its service area, and Baxter Regional Medical Center reported that 12% of its 57 paramedic jobs were unfilled.
Some of the explanation as to why fewer paramedics are continuing in their profession is that many of them are transitioning to nursing. In some counties, Fire Departments pick up the slack left by a lack of well-staffed ambulances.
