delivering innovation to...
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EMS Strong (blog)
DeliveringInnovationtoBaptistAreyouEMSStrong?Tellyourfriends.
SponsorSpotlight:PriorityAmbulance
IntegrationofEMSandhospitalsystemiskeytoambulanceservicesuccessWhenthefirstBaptist-brandedambulancesrolledintoMemphisonApril1,2017,itwastheculminationofmonthsofworkdevelopingaunique,integratedsystemthatwouldultimatelystreamlineprocessesandincreaseefficienciesinpatienttransfersthroughoutBaptistMemorialHealthCare’s18hospitalsandsix9-1-1serviceareasinTennesseeandMississippi.InMarch2017BaptistMemorialHealthCaresignedamasterservicesagreementwithPriorityAmbulancetobecometheambulancetransportprovidertothehealthcaresystemandlessthanthreeweekslater,PriorityAmbulancehadmobilizedthefirst10ambulancesandmorethan60employeestoserveBaptist’sfivemedicalfacilitiesinthegreaterMemphisarea.Oneyearintotherelationship,theyhave31vehiclesand300ambulanceemployeesprovidingmedicaltransporttomorethan30,000patientseachyearat12BaptistMemorialHealthCarefacilities,andprovidessixcommunitieswith9-1-1serviceinMississippiandWestTennessee.“Theintegrationofourambulanceservicestoonesingleproviderforthemajorityofourfacilitieshasbeenapositivemoveforoursystem,“saidDerickZiegler,vicepresidentofhospitalandaffiliateintegrationforBaptistMemorialHealthCare.“Oursystemstrategiesweretoimprovethemedicaltransporteffectivenessandefficiencyforourpatients,integratethepatienttransferprocessandcentralizedispatchcommunications,yieldingoverallimprovedtransportationeconomics.”In2016,BaptistandPriorityAmbulancebegandiscussionstodefineimprovementsforthemovementofpatientsneedingahigherlevelofcarelocatedatsmallerregionallocationsacrossthreestates,withtheultimategoalofpatientdeliveryattherightplaceattherighttime,keepingthepatientasclosetohomeaspossible.ThispartnershipallowedBaptisttolaserfocusitsattentiononpatientcareandhospitaloperationswhileholdingPriorityAmbulanceaccountableforpatientcareandexperienceduringtransfersandmedicaltransport.“Asignificantadvantagetohavingoneambulanceserviceproviderforthemajorityofallfacilitiesisaccountability,”saidKatieMorrissette,BaptistMemorialHealthCareTeleHealthAdministrator.“OurMarketVPsforOperationsmeetweeklywithPriorityAmbulanceandreceiveperformancereportsforalllocations.Withourintegratednetwork,leadersarebetterabletoidentifytrendsandopportunitiesforexpansionandimprovementinourmedicaltransport.”Anotherkeygoaloftheimplementationprojectwastoleveragethevehiclesforbrandawarenessintheregion.Tothatend,PriorityAmbulancecreatedanewsubsidiary,BaptistAmbulance,amemberofthePriorityfamilyofcompaniesthatoperateswithinambulancesundertheBaptistnameandlogo.Afinalgoalwastoimprovepatientflowefficiencythroughtransportation.ThiswasaccomplishedthroughtheintegrationofPriorityAmbulance’sdispatchcenterintoBaptist’sbedmanagementsystem/transfercenteratthePatientPlacementCenter(PPC).ThePPCisstaffedwithexperiencedregisterednursesthattrackthestatusandmanageall2,700hospital
EMS Strong (blog)
bedsintheBaptistsystemandhelptransferandadmitpatients—allfromonelocation.Inaddition,nursescanassistwithairlaunchforacriticalcase.ThisisaccomplishedviatheTeleTrackingTechnologyTransferCentersystem.Byco-locatingitsdispatchcenterinthisfacility,PriorityAmbulancecanaddambulancetransporttothelistofthePPC’scapabilities,furtherenhancingandaligningallmissioncriticalservicesforsafe,effectivepatientcare.Approximately6,000callsamonthnowroutethroughthePriority-staffedambulancedispatchcenter.“WeareconstantlylookingforwaysthatwecanbetterintegrateandpartnerwithBaptistforthebenefitofitspatients,”saidPriorityAmbulanceCEOBryanGibson.“Inourfirstyearofservice,wehavebuiltastrongfoundationofefficientcommunicationandpartnership.Together,wecancontinuetogrowourservices,furtherenhanceourperformanceandidentifyinnovativenewadvancestocontinuallyraisethebaronmedicaltransportforBaptistpatients.”Additionally,throughintegrationandbetterpartnership,PriorityAmbulancehasbeenabletoprovidesignificantvalueaddstoBaptistMemorialHealthCare,includingimplementingProQAtechnologyandtraininginitsdispatchsystem,implementingcomputerautomateddispatch(CAD)systemsinits9-1-1areas,andutilizingsystemstatusmanagementanddeploymentstrategytoimproveon-timeperformanceforBaptisthospitalsandthecommunitiesserved.FutureplansforthesystemincludeexpandingBaptist’smobileeICUprogramtotheambulances.Experiencednursesandphysiciansarecurrentlyconnectedtosurroundingfacilitiesthroughtelehealthlinksforconsultationsonpatientcare.Thesescreenswouldalsobelinkedtoambulances,sonursesanddoctorscouldconsultonpatientcareduringtransferorwhilethepatientisenroutetotheiremergencydepartment.