Fire department pilot program with nurse practitioner

Excerpts from OrangeCountyRegister.com: A call came in: a 20-year-old woman was unwell and needed assistance. Responding to the scene were Anaheim firefighters, followed by an ambulance driven by Victoria Morrison, a nurse practitioner. She assessed the patient’s condition, checked her vitals, and determined whether she needed to go to the emergency room or could be treated at home. “A lot of people call 911 out of fear,” Morrison said as she returned to the ambulance. “Sometimes all they need is a medical professional to handle something minor. Other times, they really do require hospital care.” Morrison is the only nurse practitioner in the Anaheim Fire & Rescue’s Community Care Response Unit, which began on May 31. The unit handles low-level 911 calls by treating patients at home. Nurse practitioners can also prescribe medication. The one-year pilot program aims to reduce healthcare costs, prevent unnecessary hospital visits, and allow firefighters to focus on more critical emergencies. “We’re very good at handling traffic accidents, gunshot wounds, and heart attacks because we have clear protocols for those calls,” said Capt. Dave Barry, who oversees emergency medical services for the department and often rides with Morrison. “The harder calls are the low-acuity ones that aren’t true emergencies,” Barry added. “Victoria has done a great job providing the right care and keeping people out of the hospital.” Since the program started, Morrison has visited 230 patients. Of those, 46% were treated on-site or referred to their primary doctor for further care. The program cost around $500,000 this year, covering Morrison’s salary, medical supplies, equipment, and insurance. It’s supported by a public-private partnership, including a $210,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente and a modified ambulance from Care Ambulance Service. Anaheim Fire Chief Randy Bruegman plans to ask the city council to continue the program next year. “Residents appreciate this alternative model because it offers quality care, lower costs, and treatment in the comfort of their own home,” he said. Anaheim was the first city in California to adopt this model, inspired by a similar program started in 2008 by Dr. Gary Smith during a flu outbreak in Mesa, Arizona. Though initially short-lived due to lack of funding, the program was revived in 2011 with support from the city and a local hospital and now runs 24/7. Five cities across the U.S. have since adopted the approach, including Los Angeles. “We’re leading the way by bringing medical care directly to patients’ homes, and the results have been amazing,” Smith said. In Anaheim, patients treated by Morrison still pay the $350 paramedic fee, but avoid the high cost of an ambulance ride and emergency room visit, which can reach thousands of dollars. More importantly, they receive immediate care without waiting hours for a hospital physician. “Some people think going to the ER faster means better care, but that’s not always true,” Morrison said. “I let them know I can provide the same level of service—faster.”

Glass Bathroom Accessory Sets

Glass Bathroom Accessory Sets,White Bathing Set Glass Bottle,Grass Green Bathing Set Glass Bottle,Emerald Green Bath Set Glass Bottle

MingHui Houseware Company Limited , https://www.minghuihousewareltd.com