Austin-Travis County EMS 2023 Annual Report

integrated services collaborative care and community health programs for alternative responses

finding unique solutions to common problems

The C4 provides access to clinically appropriate and efficient care through referral to the right resource, focusing on the best interests of the patient while reducing unnecessary EMS responses and transports. C4 Clinical Navigators complete expanded triage and assessment of low-acuity 9-1-1 EMS calls and identify needs that are better addressed outside of the traditional ambulance to emergency department pathway. Navigators connect patients with alternate resources including primary, urgent, and specialty care, as well as insurance, prescriptions, telehealth, and treatment in place. In addition to coordinating Physicians Assistants (PA) and CHPR responses, the C4 staffs a Paramedic Response Unit (PRU) to replace Field ambulance responses and provide direct patient care and follow-up. Highlights: • Engaged with 8,142 EMS incidents and contributed to emergency department transport diversions in 4,199 of them— respective increases of 93% and 151% over FY2022. Coordinated access to care for over 1,600 uninsured and underinsured patients within our community. Supported cold-weather disaster operations by providing access to essential medical equipment and transportation to shelter for hundreds of residents. works to preserve the ready state of ATCEMS to respond to life-threatening emergencies. The mission of the C4 is to bring the right resource to the right patient at the right time. • • The Collaborative Care Communication Center (C4) was developed to handle low acuity calls that address patient needs without the use of an ambulance or an emergency department. This program

Substance Use Disorders (SUD) take care of persons experiencing problems with addiction and provides immediate treatment and long-term solutions for opiate dependency, further reducing demand on primary system units. Working collectively with local programs and non-profit agencies allows ATCEMS to provide targeted and fiscally responsible attention to community members with complicated medical needs that cannot be properly addressed by an ambulance response and an emergency room (ER) visit. Highlights: •Community Health Paramedics worked 2,426 Mental health crisis calls; 87% (2,108) of those calls did not involve law enforcement. •SUD program successfully enrolled 191 clients into a Medical Assisted Treatment program. 69% of those clients completed the program. •CHP program diverted 1,045 clients from being transported to an ER. •SUD program handled 840 opioid alerts. •CHP program conducted nine pop up resource clinics that served 315 persons experiencing homelessness and provided them with 1,053 interventions.

CHP pop-up resource

Austin-Travis County EMS Community Health Paramedic (CHP) program provides citizens of Travis County with unique pre-hospital care. CHP Responders (CHPR) are ATCEMS paramedics who have additional training and credentialing with an emphasis on mental health crisis care. CHPRs are auto dispatched to specific psychiatric calls to assist a field ambulance and provide alternative dispositions to connect patients in crisis with an appropriate resource. CHP case managers oversee a variety of community programs. Their proactive approach is meant to provide appropriate care to clients within the community who may otherwise be forced into utilizing the 9-1-1 system and emergency rooms for non-emergent care. CHP Case Management and community awareness

4,199

C4 Engaged with 8,142 EMs incidents and diverted over half of that call volume

to more appropriate resources diversions

33