FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EMS Unlimited Awarded $587,604 Through Colorado Rural Health Transformation Program
Funding launches a Community Paramedic program bringing in-home care to Garfield County
RIFLE, CO - September 28, 2026 - EMS Unlimited has been awarded $587,604 through Colorado’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to launch a Community Paramedic program that brings clinical care into patients’ homes across Garfield County, with a telehealth link that connects the paramedic to a physician during home visits.
The funding is part of nearly $170 million in RHTP grants directed by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) to rural healthcare providers across Colorado. Funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), these investments will help protect access to care and support better health outcomes in Colorado's rural and frontier communities.
EMS Unlimited will use its RHTP award to hire, train, and certify a dedicated Community Paramedic based at its Rifle station. The Community Paramedic will make scheduled visits to patients at home — checking in after a hospital discharge, helping patients manage chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD, diabetes, and high blood pressure, performing wellness checks for homebound and older residents, and working with patients who rely on the emergency department for care that could be delivered earlier and closer to home.
The award also equips the program to do real clinical work in a living room. A dedicated response vehicle will carry a cardiac monitor, 12-lead ECG, portable ultrasound, and point-of-care lab testing, and a ruggedized telehealth tablet will let the paramedic consult a physician in real time during a visit. Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs will provide physician medical direction and clinical oversight for the program.
Garfield County spans nearly 3,000 square miles, and for many residents a follow-up appointment or specialist visit means a long drive. For a patient recovering from a hospital stay or managing a chronic illness, missing that visit can turn a manageable problem into an emergency. The Community Paramedic program is designed to close that gap by bringing follow-up care to the patient’s home.
EMS Unlimited intends to build the program alongside Garfield County’s fire departments and 911 response agencies. The Community Paramedic program is designed to complement the local emergency response system, and EMS Unlimited will work with those agencies on coordination, communication, and shared referral opportunities as the program grows.
“We’re excited to serve Garfield County in a new way — showing up for our neighbors at the kitchen table, on a schedule, with a physician a tap away,” said Ebin Latrimurti, Paramedic and President of EMS Unlimited. “The fire departments and 911 agencies here already do incredible work protecting this community. We want to integrate with them, strengthen those partnerships, and build this program together so it keeps getting better for the people we all serve.”
Through this award, EMS Unlimited will:
- Build a Community Paramedic workforce — Hire and certify a dedicated Community Paramedic, supported by program management and administrative staff, to deliver scheduled in-home care.
- Deliver care at home — Provide post-discharge follow-up, chronic disease support, and wellness checks for homebound residents to help patients stay healthy at home and avoid unnecessary emergency visits.
- Equip the paramedic for the home — Outfit a response vehicle with cardiac monitoring, 12-lead ECG, portable ultrasound, and point-of-care lab testing.
- Connect patients to a physician in real time — Use telehealth during home visits so the Community Paramedic can consult a physician at the bedside.
“We are proud to partner with EMS Unlimited to bring care closer to home for Garfield County residents. The Community Paramedic program creates a more connected approach to care that can improve care transitions, support people living with chronic conditions, and help patients receive the right care in the right setting,” said Brian Murphy, MD, Valley View CEO.
Colorado is directing $169,587,181 in RHTP grants to rural healthcare providers across the state. Through a highly competitive application process, 91 applicants and approximately 250 projects were selected to receive funding across 52 rural or frontier counties and three rural census tract counties.
A complete list of Colorado Rural Health Transformation Program awardees and additional information about RHTP is available on the RHTP website.
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About EMS Unlimited
Event Medical Solutions Unlimited, LLC, doing business as EMS Unlimited, is a paramedic-owned, veteran-operated ambulance and medical services company headquartered in Rifle, Colorado. Founded in 2012 by Paramedic Ebin Latrimurti, EMS Unlimited provides Advanced Life Support (ALS), Basic Life Support (BLS), Critical Care Transport (CCT), and interfacility transport services across Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona, and Montana, along with wildland fire and disaster medical support. The company’s Rifle station has served western Colorado since 2019. Learn more at www.ems-unlimited.com.
About the Rural Health Transformation Program
The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a five-year federal initiative administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designed to strengthen healthcare access and improve health outcomes in rural and frontier communities. The program supports investments in workforce development, innovative care models, technology-enabled services, and health system sustainability. The program was authorized under Section 71401 of H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21) to provide grants totaling $50 billion in federal funding nationwide from Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2026 through FFY 2030.
From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Colorado’s award totals $200,105,604.17 for the first year of the program to support rural health transformation efforts across the state, and is 100% funded by CMS. The contents of this release are those of EMS Unlimited and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.
Media Contact
Ebin Latrimurti
Paramedic, Founder & President
EMS Unlimited
ebin@ems-unlimited.com