Prehospital Telehealth Can Reduce Unnecessary Ambulance Transports

A Houston telehealth program decreased ambulance transports but not emergency department visits.

Inappropriate use of emergency medical resources, including ambulances and emergency departments (EDs), contribute to an overloaded healthcare system. A prehospital telehealth system, in which emergency medical services (EMS) providers can facilitate physician-patient conversation prior to transportation, may provide better triage than taking all patients to the ED by default.

The Houston Fire Department's Emergency Telehealth and Navigation (ETHAN) program allowed emergency physicians to remotely interact with adult and pediatric patients meeting defined low-risk criteria, prior to EMS decision to transport. After evaluation, patients were offered their choice of the following: ambulance transport to the ED; alternative (i.e., taxi) transpo…

Reviewing Author

Jason T. McMullan, MD, MS, FAEMS

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardEMCREG International

Grant/Research SupportNIH; Department of Defense

Editorial BoardsJournal of Emergency Medical Services

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Association of EMS Physicians (Chair, Research Committee)