Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

News

Telehealth Helps First Responders Weed Out Non-Emergency Coronavirus Calls

The goal of the Los Angeles County Fire Department telehealth program is to keep non-emergency hospital trips to a minimum. (Courtesy of LA County Fire Department)
()

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department is using telehealth to reduce non-emergency hospital trips during the coronavirus pandemic.

The new service allows paramedics to video call a nurse practitioner or doctor to triage and treat non-urgent cases, rather than sending them by ambulance to the nearest emergency department. Fire Battalion Chief Roland Sprewell said his department is getting lots of calls from residents worried they have the coronavirus.

“Understandably a lot of people are frightened right now and may think that something that’s a simple cold is worthy of being transported to an emergency room,” Sprewell said.

The remote health care provider can even call in prescriptions for a patient, he added.

Support for LAist comes from

“To date, the program has diverted many patients who otherwise would have gone to an emergency department, keeping those beds available for those who really need them,” Sprewell said.

LONG-TERM CHANGES TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Funding for the program, which was launched in late March, came from the county's Quality and Productivity Commission. Sprewell said the program was already in the works, but when the coronavirus hit the focus changed.

“I think it's going to revolutionize what we do here, as pre-hospital care providers,” he said. “It’s going to leave a lot of those hospital beds in the emergency room for those who are truly suffering the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and allow other patients the ability to be seen elsewhere.”

Similar mobile integrated health programs, known as MIH, have been launched in other states to help separate and treat non-virus-related calls and direct resources to patients who may be infected. They also help reduce the chances of spreading the virus to first responders.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS:

Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist