25 April 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Starting this week, Shawnee County dispatch will handle some 911 calls a little differently.
The American Medical Response is launching a new emergency healthcare program known as Nurse Navigation. Leaders say it should provide quick and efficient services to anyone in Shawnee County.
The program will direct 911 calls that are non-emergency injuries or illnesses to a licensed Kansas nurse or nurse navigator for assessment. They will evaluate the caller’s symptoms and provide the appropriate medical care, or even free transportation to a healthcare provider. Leaders say the goal is to ensure individuals receive the right level of care promptly.
“Really it’s all about resource allocation, right? Everybody from EMS, to the hospitals and healthcare have struggled with staffing, so the goal is to limit the draw on the system and to get the patient to the most appropriate location,” says Jon Antrim, Regional Director for Global Medical Response.
The Nurse Navigation Program will take effect Tuesday at 9 a.m. AMR says it has been preparing for a long time to ensure everything goes smoothly.