One year after upgrading their emergency medical services to ‘advanced life support,? the Independence Township Fire Department is basking in the light of praise.
Both government officials and representatives of the medical community say the township’s ALS service is among the best around, with only a couple challenges to improve the program.
Fire Chief Steve Ronk has provided statistics throughout the year, so an appearance at the Tuesday, May 20 township board meeting was not to review facts and figures.
‘At times it seems like only yesterday, and other times it seems like we’ve been doing this forever,? Ronk said. ‘It’s infancy is over.?
The chief said he wanted questions and feedback, however, as there have been few during the past year.
‘If there’s an issue with the ALS program, we haven’t heard about it,? he said. ‘We couldn’t be happier with the program. There’s no question that we have saved people’s lives.?
Prior to May 2002, the fire department operated only with emergency medical technicians, depending on private ambulance services for paramedics and patient transportation.
Thanks to a voter-approved 1-mill tax levy, the department received about $1 million to hire an additional 14 paramedics and purchase ALS equipment. The budget has been such that the township board has since rolled back that special millage to 0.75 mill.
Three full-time ambulances are currently staffed, with hopes to eventually add another, according to EMS Coordinator Robert Cesario.
Ronk told trustees of major improvement in response for medical emergencies. Under the former system, the average wait for a private paramedic was between 15 and 18 minutes, with a trip to the hospital taking between 20 and 30 minutes.
Fire department paramedics now average about four minutes to the scene (about five minutes during the winter months).
‘I think a four minute response time is absolutely incredible,? Ronk said. ‘It’s a huge improvement over what this community had a year ago, and that was our goal.?
Trustees agreed with the assessment.
‘It’s obvious that we’ve saved more lives,? Trustee Larry Rosso said, ‘but the question of relevance and the key factor to this was response time. I think that’s well worth the investment the taxpayers took upon themselves.?
In addition to the raw statistics, patient feedback has also painted a positive picture, officials said. The department sent out random questionnaires to about 25 percent of the 2,500 victims this past year. Many have responded, but no one has lodged negative criticism, Ronk said.
‘That is the one thing you can’t measure with a calculator or going back to past budget years,? the chief said. ‘That to me is worth everything, to see that the public is satisfied with the service.?
Officials of Genesys Regional Medical Center (the base hospital for Independence paramedics) presented their own report, based on a ‘quality improvement? program launched in November 2002 to evaluate both hospital and paramedic emergency services.
Registered Nurse Ina Golden said their ‘patient satisfaction? surveys scored Independence paramedics at 4.8 or 4.9 on a 5.0 scale in each of six categories.
‘That’s very good,? she said, noting that the fire department has only a 4 percent ‘patient refusal? rate, compared with a national average of 10 percent and 25 percent for nearby communities.
Total time on scene shows an average of 18 minutes for ‘trauma? cases, well under the goal of 20 minutes, Golden said. Independence paramedics are currently at an average of 22 minutes for the less severe ‘medical? category, however.
‘All they have to do is shave 120 seconds off and they’ve met the goal,? she said.
Also representing Genesys, Dr. Michael Jule said the key to successful emergency medical service is not only fast response, but having trained personnel to take advantage of every minute.
‘A car can certainly get a patient to the hospital in 15 minutes, and an ambulance might get them there in half that time,? Jule said. ‘The issue is not the eight minutes, it’s what happens in those eight minutes that matters.?
Ronk admitted another area which needs work ? billing and collection of service fees.
‘We have to discuss the policy of how we’re going to handle delinquent bills,? he said. ‘That’s an outstanding issue.?
Cesario later said the paperwork was a bit of an unforeseen challenge.
‘This is a whole new thing for us,? he said. ‘We’re not in it to make money.?
Local paramedics are also pleased with the opening of the new Clarkston Health Center at Dixie Highway and White Lake Road. Since that facility will handle many emergency room functions, paramedics will be able to return to service more quickly. Ronk said transports to Pontiac or Grand Blanc take about 20 minutes one way.
‘It’s going to definitely improve a piece of this that we had no control over,? he said. ‘About 80 percent of what we do could be handled on a local basis. It’s almost like a Christmas gift to us.?
In summarizing the glowing review, Trustee Daniel Kelly said much of the success is because it takes more than simply a program.
‘It’s nice seeing a quality group of people working the program,? he said.