Fayette County launches telehealth partnership to reduce EMS wait times

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Fayette County Fire and Emergency Medical Services

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. - Fayette County Fire and Emergency Medical Services are partnering with a new telehealth system aimed at reducing the amount of time EMTs spend on non-emergency calls.

Big picture view:

County officials say national data shows 50% of ambulance calls are not true emergencies. The new telehealth system is designed specifically for those cases.

Local perspective:

The department said paramedics will respond to all 911 calls. When EMTs arrive at a non-emergency call where the person does not need transport, they can now connect the individual with on-demand emergency physicians who can evaluate and treat them in their own home.

The physicians are provided through RightSite Health, a national leader in emergency telehealth services.

The Fayette County Fire Department says the program should significantly reduce how long paramedics remain tied up on low-acuity cases. A traditional transport call typically keeps an EMS unit busy for around two hours. With telehealth, that time could be reduced to as little as 14 minutes.

What they're saying:

Chief Jeffrey Hill said the approach mirrors the growing use of telehealth in private and public health plans.

"It can certainly be a convenience and pleasant experience for our citizens to speak to, and be treated by, an emergency department physician directly through telehealth from the comfort of their home, without the delays of a hospital waiting room for low-acuity or non-emergent illnesses. We are here to improve the lives of our citizens as we continue to progress our response and treatment options," he said.