4-27-16
Scott Masters, Northeast Georgia Health System updates commissioners on EMS services
(Cleveland)- White County Commissioners are set to approve a new three year service agreement with Northeast Georgia Health System for Emergency Medical Service in the county. During this weeks commission work session Scott Masters, with Northeast Georgia Health System and Bill Scandrett the Director of White County Emergency Medical Service presented an update report on the EMS services provided in the county, something NGHS has been doing for the past 30 years.
Masters told the commissioners that with the aging population here going up, so has the call volume and that has at times stressed the availability of ambulances in the county. Two additional factors adding to the call volume is the calls to the Urgent Care Center and Black Bear Treatment Center, both located north of Cleveland.
When no ambulances are available to take a call, that creates what is called a status 13. When that occurs the county has to rely on mutual assistance from a neighboring county, but that can result in delayed response time.
In addition to the necessary or emergency calls that are answered, the commissioners discussed ways to reduce non-emergency calls made by EMS. Commission Chairman Travis Turner recalled one such incident “ I’ve heard an instance where a ambulance showed up to a home and it was not an emergency, but when they ask the patient, I see your not in a distressed situation are you sure you need to go, and the patient said yes…they wanted a ride”
Turner also commented, “ we’re living in a society, living on the system and that’s what we are seeing more and more of, let’s use our system, how much can we abuse it.”
The commissioners were unable to find a way to deal with what could be considered unnecessary calls for an ambulance.
Following that discussion the commissioners agreed to put the new contract, which covers a three year term at the current cost $800,000, on next Monday’s meeting agenda as a consent item. The new contract does call for a fourth, Advance Life Support Ambulance, to be available for 12 hours a day during the year.
