By EMS1 Staff
DALLAS — A fire department is considering reducing ambulance transport times by prohibiting a patient from choosing which hospital to be transported to, as well as not transporting low medical priority patients.
CBS DFW reported that Dallas Fire-Rescue is considering a change to their ambulance policies due to an increase of medical calls that have occurred as a result of a rising population, according to Chief David Coatney.
The department responded to 206,000 emergency calls in 2017, an increase from 2010’s number of 166,585.
Chief Coatney said in an effort to reduce ambulance transport times, the department is considering taking the patient to the closest hospital instead of their preferred location, as well as not transporting patients with low medical priority.
“We have to figure out how we’re going to provide services to meet the expectations of all our residents, at the same time being efficient,” council member Jennifer Gates said.
Chief Coatney added that the department is also considering using city SUVs to transport low priority patients and utilizing new technology to increase efficiency.
“We may actually recommend ... going to such as our Bio-Tel which could provide them medical direction over the phone and help them schedule an appointment for follow-up on the lowest priority calls.”