ImageTrend's 2026 EMS Insights Report Reveals How Prehospital Care Is Evolving Nationwide

EAGAN, Minn., April 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ImageTrend has announced the release of its 2026 EMS Insights Report, offering a multi-year analysis of national EMS data that highlights how prehospital care is changing across the United States.

Drawing on EMS activations from 2023 through 2025, including a dataset of more than 18 million activations in 2025 alone across all 50 states, the report moves beyond a single-year snapshot to examine emerging trends in patient demand, clinical care, and workforce dynamics, providing EMS leaders with a clearer understanding of how the industry is evolving.

"What stands out in this year's data isn't just the volume; it's the shift in how care is being delivered," said Joe Graw, Chief Growth Officer at ImageTrend. "From the expansion of prehospital blood administration to sustained behavioral health demand, EMS is confronting a new level of clinical and operational complexity. These shifts reveal where the field is rising to the challenge—and where faster investment and system-level change are needed to provide greater support."

Key Trends Shaping EMS Today

The 2026 EMS Insights Report identifies several notable shifts across the EMS landscape:

• Prehospital blood administration is expanding into the field: Ground-based transfusions increased from 5% in 2023 to 10% in 2025, while 87% of all blood administrations in 2025 were still performed by air units, highlighting both growth and ongoing operational limitations.
• Behavioral health demand continues to rise: Behavioral health-related responses increased from 9.8% in 2023 to 11.7% in 2025, reinforcing the sustained and growing impact on EMS systems.
• Trauma-related incidents are increasing: Injury-related responses rose from 17.9% in 2023 to 18.6% in 2025, totaling 2,317,428 incidents, contributing to overall workload and clinical complexity.
• Gaps remain between assessment and treatment in trauma care: While 72% of transported trauma patients had a documented pain score, only 18% received pain medication, indicating a persistent gap in care delivery.

Despite the volume of data captured in prehospital care, visibility into patient outcomes remains limited across much of the industry. National data shows that only a small percentage of EMS records—just over 3%—include hospital outcome information, highlighting a significant gap in care continuity and the ability to fully understand patient impact.

From Benchmarking to Trend Analysis

While previous reports established a national baseline, the 2026 edition focuses on how EMS is changing over time.

By analyzing multi-year data, the report provides deeper insight into how care delivery, patient needs, and operational pressures are shifting, helping agencies move from retrospective analysis to more forward-looking decision-making.

"We aimed to take a multi‑year view of EMS data to identify meaningful patterns and shifts in care delivery," said Morgan Anderson, MPH, FAEMS, Director of Research at ImageTrend. "These trends help illustrate not just what is happening in EMS, but how and why it's changing—giving agencies and policymakers the insight they need to plan ahead, allocate resources, and support more informed decision-making."

Powered by a National EMS Dataset

The report is built using data from ImageTrend Collaborate™, a large, de-identified dataset representing EMS activity across all 50 states and encompassing more than 157 million EMS activations since 2018. The dataset reflects national EMS patterns and has demonstrated strong alignment with the federally funded National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) dataset, supporting its use as a reliable resource for large-scale analysis.

The full report is available now at: www.imagetrend.com/research-reports/ems-insights-report-2026/

About ImageTrend

ImageTrend transforms incident data into actionable intelligence, empowering frontline teams to effectively manage surging demands and resource constraints, driving impactful change in the communities it supports.

Founded in 1998, the company serves more than 3,100 direct customers representing 21,000+ agencies and organizations across Fire, Emergency Medical Services, and Hospital segments. With its deep industry knowledge and advanced data analytics capabilities, the software provider helps its customers streamline operations, shape long-term strategies, and dramatically improve outcomes. Its comprehensive software solutions and dedicated team provide the confidence and intelligence that first responders need to tackle today's challenges and prepare for tomorrow's uncertainties.

SOURCE ImageTrend LLC