SAN DIEGO — The city of San Diego is taking steps to fix staffing issues and response times from the city’s ambulance provider, Falck.
A proposed plan would allow the city to hire multiple companies and reduce long wait times.
The changes to Falck’s contract with the city come after the ambulance provider fell short of its commitment to improve response times.
The proposal would allow the city to bill patients for the services and allow the fire department to follow what’s known as the alliance model, which means Falck will subcontract other ambulance companies to increase unit hours for paramedics.
"We do fall short from time to time, and we want to be able to subsidize that with outside entities. The alliance model is a mutual benefit that helps not only the citizens and visitors to San Diego but helps the fire department, Falck, and the entire system," said Falck's managing director, Jeff Behm.
Under the plan, Falck would be the primary EMS provider, but the fire department would decide how many unit hours are needed. If they want more unit hours than Falck can provide, they’ll turn to another service provider in addition to Falck.
"We are working collaboratively with the fire department, and we are making sure we are providing a safe ems response for all San Diegans and visitors to the city," added Behm.
The ambulance provider says a national shortage of paramedics and a 13% increase in call volume had led to the issues that all parties want to fix.
"In the later part of 2021, we saw an explosion in the number of calls we were going to, which continues till today. So what does that do? It increases the number of units you need, but we already have the units that we have, and they can only go to so many calls simultaneously. So it's supply and demand," he said.
Behm says staffing shortages at hospitals are also a part of the problem: "they’re trying to manage as many patients we’re bringing in, but they’re short-staffed too, and then we end up staying at the hospital longer, and that just keeps backing things up."
The proposed changes are expected to be presented to the Public Safety Committee in march before going to the City Council.
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