SAN DIEGO — El Cajon's pilot nurse program, which was proposed more than a year ago has a progress report for the public: it's working.
This program features trained nurses who triage incoming 911 calls. They help provide care and direction to less serious medical calls while emergency resources can be used more effectively.
The program has seen some impressive numbers in a short amount of time. In one year, they have managed to help 581 residents with a nurse navigator.
Here is a breakdown:
- 208 of them were completely taken out of the ems system
- 150 we’re able to be treated in their own homes
- 120 able to treat themselves at home with advice over the phone
It is estimated that the program has saved over $573,000 already. To put things in perspective, the National Library of Medicine said that 86% of ambulance transports were medically unnecessary.
"We want to be innovative, we want to be smart," said El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, who added that this new program is a more effective and efficient way to connect 911 callers who are seeking medical assistance with the appropriate care they need.
"It hones the emergency system. So, that we are running at a higher capacity and not wasting time or resources," Wells told CBS 8.
The El Cajon City Council has approved this concept, allocating $300,000 from the general fund for the first year of the Nurse Navigator Pilot Program.
"What we anticipate is we are going to save much more than the $300,000 we're going to spend," Wells said.
This program will divert non-life-threatening emergency medical aid calls to trained nurses who could triage the calls as they come in, instead of sending an ambulance and fire truck, as is the standard of care for the city's fire department, to all calls.
"Save on overtime for our firefighters, save on wear and tear on the trucks, and just be smarter about how we spend the public's money," Wells said.