Jumpline magazine OCT 2022-pages - Flipbook - Page 23
ET3 - The Future is NOW Continued
then a private ambulance is summoned. This is where the
private ambulances make the bulk of their money and why, at
times, they are unavailable for our calls.
This evolution of care is our next challenge or opportunity.
It’s also the “low fruit” on our tree of opportunity; operating
our own BLS transport program. We had these in the past –
we all remember the squads. Most recently, they were established to keep uniformed members employed when the market crashed. They were initially in service 24/7 but eventually
phased out. Vacancies from new service and retirements absorbed these overages.
Back then, we operated this BLS program pursuant to an
MOU related to two-person BLS transport units. It needs to
be updated.
These are great opportunities to improve the quality of service we provide, to collaborate on the future of EMS with our
community partners, to generate additional revenues and
perhaps most importantly – for MDFR to breathe life back into
it’s innovative past and lead once again.
What is now known as the ET3 program was brought to
light close to three decades ago by Local 1403’s Gary Rainey
in his article “Fire Department Evolution.” At the time there
was much written about “public-private partnerships.” This
was basically working cooperatively with private ambulance
companies for our BLS transports. Gary wrote “Primary care
and expanded scope of practice can also lead us to new horizons where Paramedics and EMT’s will be delivering health
care far beyond emergency situations we are accustomed
to. Inter-hospital transfers, primary health care delivery,
non-emergency responses and treatments, neighborhood immunizations.”
“Although capturing transport service is important, we must
not limit our goals or focus only on that issue. The positive impact these types of services will have on the public will make
“rescue” as we now know it pale by comparison. There will be
much more contact with the public and in far greater numbers
than we currently encounter in emergency situations. The
public will see whoever provides this service (private or fire)
in a broader, more favorable light. Primary care providers
who expand their scope of practice will include emergency
responses as a small part of their overall service. We cannot
afford to miss this train.”
“These new services cannot just be ‘heaped’ upon current
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suppressions and medical rescue services. As we all know
too well, we are operating above capacity, now. However,
as these new non-emergency and rapid response units come
online, it will have a positive impact in the reduction of the
many non-emergency calls we are currently responding to.
The patient can be taken care of at their home, or transported to a clinic or doctor’s office, saving both time and money
which will be the bottom in line in the new reformed health
care system.”
“This is an incredible opportunity for the Fire and Emergency Services to evolve into an integral part of the overall care
plan for Florida…. In the early 70s, the fire department and
the Union took on the issue of determining who would deliver
EMS in Dade County. Randle Eastern (now AMR) Police and
Fire were the contenders. Due to the foresight of our Union
and Management then, we now enjoy good pay and benefits.
The citizens receive emergency care that is unmatched in the
World.”
The public-private partnership will take on a new meaning
as we work with many private health care plans to offer this
service to their participants. The private ambulances already
have contracts for many SIMHPs. With the average primary
physician to patient ratio being 1,243:1, the patient being taken to their doctor’s office will be replaced by us bringing the
doctor to them. This will be achieved with the officer’s glowing finger on the tablet.
While this issue was brought to light nearly three decades
ago, the time to bring “Metro” back to Miami-Dade is now.
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October 2022 | JUMPLINE Magazine
12/7/15 9:25 AM
