BCoFD Implements Strategies for Reducing Hospital Wait Times

BCoFD has implemented strategies for reducing hospital wait times, including creation of a new Medical Duty Officer to facilitate efficient movement of career and volunteer medic units.

The time required to offload patients to area hospitals has been growing due to an ongoing increase in medical calls and hospital staffing shortages. The longer EMS crews must wait to deliver patients to the hospital, the longer it takes to get them back on the road, responding to other EMS calls.

On April 2, 2023, BCoFD will implement a Medical Duty Officer at the 911 Dispatch Center.

New Medical Duty Officer

The "Medical Duty Officer" will oversee the daily movement of Career and Volunteer medic units and monitor the capacity of receiving hospitals.

The Medical Duty Officer will maintain a "bird's eye view" of the hospital/EMS situation and direct EMS units accordingly.

The Medical Duty Officer will continue the current practice of trying to accommodate patients' wishes regarding their hospital destination. However, there will be occasions -- depending on hospital staffing and demand -- when patients will be delivered to a hospital that can handle their needs quickly and without causing system-wide backups.

Patients with serious medical conditions who have been discharged from a hospital within 30 days will be returned to the hospital where they initially were treated.

The position is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

"Transfer of Care" Policy

A "Transfer of Care" policy was implemented on February 1, 2023. The policy, which was designed in accordance with Maryland Institute of Emergency Services Systems (MIEMSS) standards, says non-critical patients should be transferred to hospital care within 30 minutes. The goal is to return EMS units to service as quickly as possible.