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In a promising update from Portland, emergency medical services in Multnomah County have shown significant improvements, following a temporary staffing policy shift that began in August last year. The American Medical Response (AMR), which oversees the county's ambulance services, has been permitted to deploy ambulances with just one paramedic for high-priority calls instead of the usual two. This policy adjustment has resulted in a substantial increase in ambulances available on the road, climbing from an average of 43 in July 2024 to 66 per day, marking a more than 50% jump.
The increased availability has led AMR to nearly meet the county's response time standards, a milestone last achieved in early 2022. This change has also positively impacted the work-life balance for paramedics and EMTs, with improved shift conditions and successful recruitment efforts.
While the initiative has proven effective in reducing the time without available ambulances, county commissioners are still concerned about the potential impacts on patient outcomes. Efforts are underway to appoint an additional EMS medical director to evaluate these outcomes thoroughly.
For a detailed account of this policy shift and its impact on Multnomah County, visit the original article at: [KATU News](Source).
Multnomah County Ambulance Response Times Improve Under Temporary Staffing Policy
In a promising update from Portland, emergency medical services in Multnomah County have shown significant improvements, following a temporary staffing policy shift that began in August last year. The American Medical Response (AMR), which oversees the county's ambulance services, has been permitted to deploy ambulances with just one paramedic for high-priority calls instead of the usual two. This policy adjustment has resulted in a substantial increase in ambulances available on the road, climbing from an average of 43 in July 2024 to 66 per day, marking a more than 50% jump.
The increased availability has led AMR to nearly meet the county's response time standards, a milestone last achieved in early 2022. This change has also positively impacted the work-life balance for paramedics and EMTs, with improved shift conditions and successful recruitment efforts.
While the initiative has proven effective in reducing the time without available ambulances, county commissioners are still concerned about the potential impacts on patient outcomes. Efforts are underway to appoint an additional EMS medical director to evaluate these outcomes thoroughly.
For a detailed account of this policy shift and its impact on Multnomah County, visit the original article at: [KATU News](Source).