Grants to improve trauma care in rural areas

The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities for the purpose of carrying out research and demonstration projects to support the improvement of emergency medical services and trauma care in rural areas through the development of innovative uses of technology, training and education, transportation of seriously injured patients for the purposes of receiving such emergency medical services, access to prehospital care, evaluation of protocols for the purposes of improvement of outcomes and dissemination of any related best practices, activities to facilitate clinical research, as applicable and appropriate, and increasing communication and coordination with applicable State or Tribal trauma systems. To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be a public or private entity that provides trauma care in a rural area. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that will provide services under the grant in any rural area identified by a State under section 300d–14(d)(1) of this title. The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless an application for the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section. An entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary such reports as the Secretary may require to inform administration of the program under this section.