D.C. Finds Ways to Keep Ambulances on the Street
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- 9NEWS NOW has learned details of a new plan that is expected to make more ambulances available in the District of Columbia. DC Fire and EMS is getting ready to hire 6 physician assistants who will, during peak hours, work out of the busiest emergency departments in the city.
DC Fire & EMS Chief Dennis Rubin says the goal is to reduce the drop-time for city ambulances and paramedic units. Statistics for the last 6 months show that crews are spending an average of more than 40 minutes before emergency departments take over patient care and the unit is ready for the next run. Often the delay can be hours and officials cite one case where the wait was 7-hours long.
Dr. Michael Williams, DC Fire & EMS medical director, says a physician assistant assigned to the emergency department, could treat as many as 4 patients at a time. The physician assistant, wearing a DC Fire & EMS uniform, would take charge of the patient from the medics and EMTs until the emergency department staff was able to accept the patient.
Dr. Williams came up with the plan while working with then Interim Chief Brian Lee. Chief Rubin says he has approval to move forward and soon begin hiring for an October 1st start-up date. Rubin says some hospitals are already on-board and he is hoping to have the 5 busiest hospitals in DC participate in the program.
Chief Rubin says the next step in revamping EMS is to cut down on what he calls "the misuse of the system". Rubin believes a physician assistant could be part of a medical clinic set-up at a firehouse. Chief Rubin is also talking about the idea of providing taxi vouchers to those who aren't ill enough to need transportation by an ambulance crew.
A decision that hasn't been made is whether EMS will remain in Chief Rubin's department. Rubin is chairing a task force to look at, among other things, the idea that EMS should be an agency separate from the fire department. The task force was formed by Mayor Adrian Fenty as part of reform efforts following the death of former New York Times reporter David Rosenbaum.
Republished with permission of WUSA-TV.
