Q&A
Telehealth initiatives for EMS
0:36:46
·
64 sec
Chief Michael Fields explains the current telehealth initiatives in place for EMS, particularly the use of telemedicine to potentially reduce unnecessary ambulance dispatches.
- The department has a telemedicine system in place, previously part of the ET3 program
- During 911 call triage, certain calls that meet specific criteria are transferred to H+H doctors
- These doctors review the calls and determine whether an ambulance needs to be dispatched or if alternative care can be provided
- This system aims to reduce unnecessary ambulance dispatches for low-acuity cases
Joann Ariola
0:36:46
And you mentioned also that, you know, that working with health of the hospitals, you know, you were look were looking towards telehealth.
0:36:55
So if An EMS crew is on scene and wants to connect a patient with a doctor.
0:37:03
Are there ways to do that with with telehealth?
0:37:07
With h and h prior to dispatch?
0:37:09
Can we do that prior to an ambulance being dispatched?
0:37:12
To save time so that ambulance isn't taken out of commission?
Michael Fields
0:37:16
We can.
0:37:17
We actually have that set up now.
0:37:18
It's called telemedicine.
0:37:20
It's part of the it used to be part of what used to be called the ET 3 pro program.
0:37:25
But with telemedicine as they as the arrows are prioritizing the assignments and speaking to the patient or the patient's family, if they fall within a certain criteria, we take those calls and we transfer them over to h and h.
0:37:40
Then h and h doctors review those calls and determine whether now the ambulance needs to be dispatched, or does the call need to come back to 911 for for us to be smart?
