Q&A
Hospital diversions, redirections, and interagency coordination
1:15:20
·
122 sec
Council Member Rivera inquires about the process of hospital diversions and redirections when emergency departments are overwhelmed. Chief Fields explains the FDNY's approach to managing these situations and coordinating ambulance transports.
- True diversions are limited to severe issues like electrical problems or flooding
- 'Redirection' is used when hospitals are overwhelmed with patients
- Hospitals have a set number of incidents they can handle before redirection is implemented
- Redirection rates have increased due to hospital closures and increased patient volume at specific hospitals
Carlina Rivera
1:15:20
And in terms of the version, so I think I think most people know this, a hospital's emergency department is unable to treat more patients.
1:15:28
They direct ambulances to other hospitals.
1:15:30
Right.
1:15:32
How do you coordinate in terms of interagency coordination when a hospital diversion has happens.
Michael Fields
1:15:38
So so in respect to diversions, we we are very limited in in respect to when we grant diversions.
1:15:45
So diversions in this truly form.
1:15:47
So that would be electrical issues.
1:15:50
Somebody is flooded.
1:15:52
That those are true diversions.
1:15:55
You saying that we are overwhelmed with patients, we may not consider that to be a diversion.
1:16:01
And we may place you on redirection.
1:16:03
So every facility has a certain amount of patience or incidents in which we will bring to a location.
1:16:10
I'll use Bellevue.
1:16:11
I'm gonna guess the number right now, so don't hold me to this number.
1:16:15
But Bellevue can take 5 incidents, meaning they can take 5 different ambulance crews coming in with different patients.
1:16:23
And if any once 5 of them are at that location for greater than 30 minutes, we go on redirection.
1:16:30
And redirection means that that hospital won't come up suggestive for any other ambulances that come to that location until all of those incidents have been cleared up, and that's how we deal with that.
1:16:43
The amount of redirection have gone up because hospitals have closed, and we have more individuals going to specific hospitals.
Carlina Rivera
1:16:52
And I think that's that's one thing that we actually found in terms of data from Mount Sinai, Beth Israel, which is their actual redirection happening right now.
1:17:01
And it's It's not even closed.
1:17:03
It's been a slow elimination of services, so we're very, very concerned.
1:17:07
I I just wanna thank the chairs for the time.
1:17:10
I might have another question, and I'll let you all know, but I just wanna thank you for your testimony.
1:17:14
And, of course, I encourage us to have to stay and and hear from the members of the public who have testimony to to give.
1:17:20
Thank you.
1:17:21
Thank you so much for your for your answers.
