Emergency Medical Services

Iowa HHS is the lead agency responsible for the implementation of Iowa code as it relates to the Emergency Medical Services profession. The BEMTS EMS program is responsible for the regulation of EMS providers, service programs, and training programs in Iowa. The Bureau’s staff emphasize high quality technical assistance and system development to optimize the quality of emergency care delivered in Iowa. The EMS advisory council (EMSAC) helps guide the priorities of the BEMTS EMS program.

The Iowa EMS System Standards are a change initiative that provides a consistent and accountable approach to protecting the health of Iowans through EMS. The Standards describe, in a tempered and realistic manner, the minimum infrastructure and EMS services that all Iowans can reasonably expect from Emergency Medical Services.

EMS System Standards

The EMS data registry utilized in Iowa is the ImageTrend Elite application. The Iowa ImageTrend Elite application is a comprehensive pre-hospital data collection, analysis and reporting system. This system enables Iowa’s authorized service programs to satisfy data reporting requirements, and provides numerous user tools to assist agency administration.

Iowa Code and Admin Rules

EMS Data Request

BEMTS is piloting a data request form to standardize, track, and quickly fulfill the data requests received by the bureau. Please utilize the form for all data requests submitted to the bureau.

Fillable Data Request Form

EMS Workshops

The EMS program provides workshops for medical director and service director training, both refresher and introductory courses.

April 7, 2025 - Crunching Numbers, Saving Lives: Using Data to Improve EMS - Session 2: Garbage In, Garbage Out

7:00 - 8:00 P.M.

April 23, 2025 - EMS Medical Director / Service Director Workshop (Refresher)

6:00-9:00 P.M.

July 23, 2025 - EMS Medical Director / Service Director Workshop (Introductory)

6:00-9:00 P.M.

October 22, 2025 - EMS Medical Director / Service Director Workshop (Refresher)

6:00-9:00 P.M.

EMS Providers

BEMTS is responsible for the regulation and licensure of EMS providers in the state of Iowa. EMS providers play a crucial role in the emergency response system. BEMTS is proud to work alongside the EMS profession to assure access to high quality healthcare to the citizens of Iowa.

EMS Provider Licensure and Renewal Links:

Scope of Practice

Iowa EMS Provider Scope of Practice

Guidance Documents

EMS Provider Compliance Incident Reporting Form

Incident Reporting Form

EMS Students

EMS Application Affirmation Question Guidance

Credentialing

EMS Evaluator and Instructor Workshops

For providers interested in becoming an evaluator or instructor please contact your sponsoring EMS training center for information regarding upcoming Evaluator and Instructor Workshops.

EMS Service Programs

The BEMTS is responsible for the regulation and authorization of EMS service programs in the state of Iowa. EMS service programs provide a rich tradition of emergency medical services to Iowa’s communities utilizing both paid and volunteer models. BEMTS staff highly qualified, customer service oriented EMS field coordinators who play an integral role in providing technical assistance to Iowa’s service programs. The field coordinators can provide resources to service programs on a wide variety of topics including system development, mobile integrated healthcare – community paramedicine, continuous quality improvement, and medical director/service director responsibilities. Additionally, for those seeking initial service program authorization in Iowa, currently authorized EMS services wishing to change the level or type of service or those currently authorized EMS services that wish to add satellite or affiliate services please contact a BEMTS EMS field coordinator.

Iowa EMS Communications Plan

EMS Training Programs

The Bureau regulates EMS training programs in Iowa. Responsibilities range from ensuring proper certification of instructors, to establishing minimum acceptable scores, and attendance requirements. The Bureau works to ensure that the next generation of EMS providers are well trained and capable of providing high quality emergency medical care when called upon. Training programs, either in state or out-of-state, seeking initial or renewal applications please contact a BEMTS EMS field coordinator.

Iowa’s Authorized EMS Training Programs