ELEC-508: Clinical Dispatch: Get Them What They Need, and it Might Not Have Lights and Sirens

What would happen in your jurisdiction if you could have a firefighter/paramedic in any location within 15 seconds of a 911 call? In the vital minutes that pass while units respond, how impactful would it be for patient care and situational awareness having responders with eyes on the scene? This session will walk the audience through the San Antonio Fire Department's Clinical Dispatcher Program from it's creation through its constant development to where it is today. This program utilizes video applications with AI technology and paramedics in the 911 call center to triage medical patients, provide situational awareness to responders, provide alternative means of transportation, and give life saving emergency care all from the dispatch center. The outcomes of the program have reduced emergency responses, improved fiscal efficiency, provided life saving care, addressed equitable access to care, and improved navigation of patients to the correct level of care. The presentation will also explore the utilization of the Clinical Dispatcher Program during disaster response. This program that started as a means to mitigate COVID-19 responses has blossomed into the beginnings of a new threshold in the industry, "dispatch medicine".

Attendees will see the results of utilizing technology and innovation to solve the challenge of sustainability. They will also witness the men and women of the San Antonio Fire Department 911 call center in action through video presentations during the presentation. Attendees will also be presented with the results of the data analysis performed on this program to include performance, fiscal efficiency, and equitable service delivery. This adaptable idea for the industry can be replicated in other areas with the same or better results than in San Antonio.