AMR Partners to Bring New Integrated Healthcare Solution to D.C.

American Medical Response (AMR) is partnering with District based public and private organizations to implement Integrated Health solutions in our nation’s capitol in support of the Right Care, Right Now initiative being led by DC’s Fire and EMS Department (FEMS). FEMS has been seeking innovative solutions to address the resource strain posed by the largest per capita call volume for EMS in the nation. This need, coupled with AMR’s unique capabilities, is providing an opportunity to expand access to healthcare, improve patient experience and increase population health.

By supporting the Right Care, Right Now program, inbound calls for services that are triaged to be low acuity by 911 call takers will be sent to the AMR nursing team to further identify the clinical needs of each unique caller. With innovative technology, the nurse will be able to present the caller with a list of available healthcare providers in their community who can provide the appropriate services based on the caller’s clinical needs. The nurse will be able to facilitate and schedule an appointment directly with the provider to streamline the patient experience. In addition, the nurse can also order transportation for the caller on an as-needed basis through participation with their insurance plan. Access2Care, AMR’s non-emergency medical transportation division, has worked with all the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations operating in DC to develop an innovative two-way transportation solution that will move patients to their healthcare appointment in less than 30 minutes and can provide a ride home if necessary.

“No other company is better positioned to deliver industry-leading solutions for healthcare organizations. We can leverage the expertise of our management teams, our national infrastructure and innovative technologies to fill gaps in service, provide economies of scale and improve operational efficiencies,” said Edward Van Horne, AMR President and CEO. “Our Integrated Healthcare programs allow us to customize solutions for communities based on their most pressing needs. In DC, we worked with the Fire and EMS department to develop a solution to help the citizens get the right care, at the right time.”

With 911 contracts nationwide, AMR has the employee base, resources and experience to provide the necessary and immediate assistance that alleviates the pressure on EMS systems and enhances their ability to care for their community. Our integrated solutions have been effective in improving response times and unit availability, as well as educating communities on the appropriate use of 911. The result—a more functional system that enables local fire agencies to focus on providing timely, appropriate and high-quality patient care while controlling costs and improving outcomes.

This Integrated Healthcare model can be implemented in other large, urban areas to provide communities with the confidence to pursue long-term solutions designed to use the appropriate provider, tools and technologies required to best meet the healthcare needs of their unique populations. Integrated Healthcare solutions can also be customized to include nurse triage services, long-term management of patients with chronic conditions and occupational health management.

As part of the Integrated Healthcare model, Access2Care will leverage its partnership with Lyft to provide alternative non-medical patient transportation. AMR COO Sven Johnson believes this lower-cost, reliable transportation solution will transform the overall patient experience.

The Right Care, Right Now program launched on April 19, 2018, with plans for additional call capacity in the future. This program will have a positive impact on patient experience and resource allocation.