We live in a medically underserved area with limited medical services, especially EMS and primary care. Many times the LMRFD ambulance is used for minor illness or injuries because someone simply doesn't have access to a vehicle.
Transporting patients whose illness or injury does not require ambulance transport to an emergency department puts our ambulance out of service for one to two hours.
The Treat and Refer Program would give paramedics an opportunity to address non-emergency health needs and referral patients to a more appropriate level of care.
The Treat and Refer Program would better serve our community by allowing local non-emergency vehicles to transport patients that would otherwise take the LMRFD ambulance out of service leaving us with nothing.
Today in Arizona we have the Treat and Refer Program for paramedics. This gives EMS providers an opportunity to assess patients and referral non-emergency to a more appropriate level of care (e.g. primary care doctor, urgent care or behavioral health office).
The Treat and Refer Program would allow paramedics to respond and treat patients at home or refer patients to their primary care, urgent care, or crisis services.
Treat and Refer Questions and Answers
Q: What is the Treat and Refer (T&R) program? A: A T&R interaction is defined as a healthcare event with an individual that has accessed 9-1-1 or a similar public emergency dispatch number, but whose illness or injury does not require ambulance transport to an emergency department based on the clinical information available at that time.
Q: Does the T&R program replace existing emergency services? A: No. Individuals who have an emergency and need transport to an emergency department will continue to receive those critical services. The T&R program is intended to give providers an opportunity to address non-emergent health needs through an assessment and referral to a more appropriate level of care (e.g. primary care doctor, urgent care or behavioral health office). The T&R program will provide better quality care and more opportunity for individuals to engage in their own health.
EMD 420 -Alternative Patient Destinations
This course provides EMTs and Paramedics the background knowledge to understand and implement community paramedicine and treat and refer programs across a variety of EMS response models and communities. Upon completion of the course, students will meet Arizona requirements for those students with a certification as a paramedic to function as a Community Paramedic in a treat-and-refer program
Additional Training Required for Treat and Refer
More Info HERE
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