This mixed-methods study seeks to address critical gaps in knowledge about prehospital emergency care on the Mexico side of the U.S.-Mexico border, a region characterized by high population density and complex emergency care needs. This study centers Mexico-based emergency medical service (EMS) clinicians by quantifying prehospital emergencies on the Mexico side of the border, examining the clinical, occupational, and operational challenges encountered by EMS clinicians through in-depth qualitative interviews conducted in Spanish, and developing an evidence-informed, paper and mobile-accessible toolkit. Conducted in collaboration with partners in Mexico and guided by community needs, this research will produce both scholarly outputs and practical tools, laying the groundwork for sustained improvements in prehospital emergency care across Mexico’s border region.

“I look forward to working alongside partners in Mexico, frontline EMS clinicians, and colleagues across the Stanford School of Medicine and Stanford Graduate School of Education to develop practical, evidence-informed tools that directly support EMS clinicians working in high-demand and resource-limited settings,” said Co-PI Esmeralda Melgoza, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stanford University’s School of Medicine.

“I hope this research will strengthen emergency care systems in border communities by generating evidence that can inform future EMS practices, workforce support strategies, and emergency care policies on the Mexico side of the U.S.-Mexico border,” she said.

Principal Investigators:

Jennifer A. Newberry, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

Esmeralda Melgoza, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Emergency Medicine

Eli Carrillo, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

Peter D’Souza, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

Antero Godina Garcia, Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Education

Funders:

Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health

Stanford Department of Emergency Medicine