Background: The overuse of the emergency department (ED) for non- critical patients has been associated with overcrowding and a rise in healthcare cost. Green Valley Fire Department (GVFD) has created a program, Fire-Based Urgent Medicals Service (FBUMS) with a nurse practitioner (NP). Patients can call 9-1-1 or the ""NP hotline"" and request to be seen by the NP instead of being immediately transported to the hospital via ambulance.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to evaluate the impact of the nurse practitioner led FBUMS, on ED visits and ambulance transports.
Methods: A survey was mailed to all persons, age 18 and older, who were seen by the NP with FBUMS between February 2017 and March 2017. The survey asked about the reasons for contacting GVFD, the type of treatment received, and whether they went to ED after treatment.
Data analysis: Descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations were used to analyze each of the answered survey questions in Microsoft Excel©.
Results: Surveys completed (n=42). The majority, 39 (92.9%) stated they did not receive care at the ED within 72 hours following their appointment with the NP, three (7.1%) stated they did. By dramatically decreasing transport to the hospital and associated ED treatment, it is estimated to have saved approximately $53,425 in ambulance costs and $54,210 in ED treatment for a total savings of $99,632.52.
Conclusion: A Fire-Based Urgent Medical Service led by a nurse practitioner decreased emergency room visits and ambulance transports.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/626651 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Cyr, Julia Anne, Cyr, Julia Anne |
| Contributors | Prettyman, Allen V., Prettyman, Allen V., Sheppard, Kate G., Berg, Judith A. |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Electronic Dissertation |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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