Having area’s 13 counties on the same track could alleviate crowding
By LEIGH HOPPER
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
When Houston’s emergency system got socked by two hurricanes this year, the Houston Fire Department EMS choreographed the emergency care of thousands of patients for four weeks in a 13-county region.
Using cell phones and computers, Emergency Medical Services director Dr. David Persse and colleagues in Montgomery County matched patients with available hospital beds to prevent logjams. By most accounts, the effort worked beautifully.
Now, some hospital administrators, emergency medical providers, doctors and policymakers want to create a system for everyday use, at a cost of about $2.8 million a year.
Full Story: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3518195.html