Alabama

Scroll through the graphics and photos below to how healthcare funding affects the state of Alabama. For more information about the state, see the bottom of the page. Or, click the button below to see all of the research laid out in Wakelet.

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GRAPHICS & PHOTOS

A graphic describing how ambulance services are in critical condition in rural Alabama. E.M.S. agencies have to take on extra jobs to offset the thousands of dollars per month that they lose.

A graphic describing the hospitals in Alabama's counties. Eight counties have no hospital, and very few have greater than a handful. Most counties have one to three hospitals.

A graphic describing E.M.S. transports in Alabama. From 67 counties and 5 million people, people call 911 for a medical emergency around 2,500 times every day.

In Alabama, just about a third of all E.M.S. agencies are traditional ambulance services. The rest is made up of combined fire and rescue services (one half) and helicopter transport services (almost a fifth).

A sidewalk in front of the federal courthouse in downtown Tuscaloosa.

A street view of University Boulevard in downtown Tuscaloosa.

In rural West Alabama, Greene County (green) and Pickens County (red) have to travel to get patients to the hospital. While Greene County residents have a local hospital, Pickens County residents have to travel out of county for medical care.

NorthStar Paramedic Services faces issues with funding, too, according to director of operations Edgar Calloway. The agency operates several services around West Alabama, including in Pickens County.

Click images for more detail.

About the statewide issue

In Alabama, eight counties have no hospital. In addition to traveling further to get a patient to the hospital, ambulance agencies often lose insurance payments when they cross county lines due to policies and exemptions.

Because of national underfunding for emergency medical services (EMS) and limited funding in Alabama's rural counties, EMS agencies are struggling to keep up with the cost. In Greene and Pickens counties of West Alabama, each EMS agency loses over $20,000 per month. But sometimes, they are residents' only option for medical care.

Click through the images and graphics above to see more information about the statewide issue. More research is located at the top of the page in Wakelet. Or, read about the details in the written story below. You can also find more data about Greene and Pickens counties, and the national issue, using the buttons below.