AMR Reports Progress in Improving Access to Care in Multnomah County
9.25.2024
The new deployment plan yields significant reduction in ambulance shortages, making early success ahead of November 1 benchmark.
American Medical Response (AMR) is pleased to report early success in improving access to AMR ambulances within Multnomah County, “We are proud of the progress we've made in such a short time," said Rob McDonald, regional director for AMR.
Although the new agreement with Multnomah County allows until November 1 to meet new benchmarks, AMR began deploying ALS units staffed with a paramedic and an EMT in mid-August, the same day it signed a newly penned agreement with Multnomah County to address the need for more qualified ambulances available to meet the needs of the community.
On September 16, AMR launched an entirely new deployment plan that provided an immediate increase in available advanced life support (ALS) ambulances per day. This new deployment will be the foundation for further increases in ambulance availability leading up to the November 1 go-live date. In short order, the EMS system is already seeing substantial decreases in level zero events where no ambulance is available and increased overall ambulance availability within the system.
Since implementing the new deployment, AMR has seen a 24% improvement in total ALS ambulances deployed per day and 85.6% decrease in level zero events where no ambulance is available. The enhanced coordination between AMR and Multnomah County EMS is helping save lives by getting critical care to patients faster. McDonald adds, "We want the community to know that we are swiftly and effectively moving in the right direction, prioritizing faster, more efficient access to emergency care.”
To support this enhanced level of service, AMR has hired 65 new EMTs. AMR is bringing in additional vehicles from other states to strengthen its deployment and purchasing 12 new ambulances to assure the new deployment is supported. Several key strategies have also been implemented to foster the growth of local first responders serving the area, including:
Although the new agreement with Multnomah County allows until November 1 to meet new benchmarks, AMR began deploying ALS units staffed with a paramedic and an EMT in mid-August, the same day it signed a newly penned agreement with Multnomah County to address the need for more qualified ambulances available to meet the needs of the community.
On September 16, AMR launched an entirely new deployment plan that provided an immediate increase in available advanced life support (ALS) ambulances per day. This new deployment will be the foundation for further increases in ambulance availability leading up to the November 1 go-live date. In short order, the EMS system is already seeing substantial decreases in level zero events where no ambulance is available and increased overall ambulance availability within the system.
Since implementing the new deployment, AMR has seen a 24% improvement in total ALS ambulances deployed per day and 85.6% decrease in level zero events where no ambulance is available. The enhanced coordination between AMR and Multnomah County EMS is helping save lives by getting critical care to patients faster. McDonald adds, "We want the community to know that we are swiftly and effectively moving in the right direction, prioritizing faster, more efficient access to emergency care.”
To support this enhanced level of service, AMR has hired 65 new EMTs. AMR is bringing in additional vehicles from other states to strengthen its deployment and purchasing 12 new ambulances to assure the new deployment is supported. Several key strategies have also been implemented to foster the growth of local first responders serving the area, including:
- The launch of an Earn While You Learn program, which has hired 15 community members who are paid while they train to become certified EMTs.
- Sponsorship of 64 EMTs to attend paramedic training programs, with each sponsorship valued at $18,000.
- Offering relocation assistance for new hires, both paramedics and EMTs.
- Entered into workforce resource contracts with agencies who are providing state licensed paramedics to supplement the workforce.
