Sacramento County, CA
10/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/09/2024 13:12
Driving Change in Emergency Services
On Oct. 3, 2024, the Sacramento County Emergency Medical Services Agency (SCEMSA)hosted the Ambulance Patient Offload Time (APOT) Summit #2 at the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Headquarters. The event provided a status report on County APOT mitigation projects and explored future enhancements for the SCEMSA system.
The summit brought together key stakeholders - County and regional hospital leadership, and regional emergency department and EMS operations staff - to discuss critical topics including consequences of ambulance delays, hospital interventions and the impact of SB43on the emergency medical services system.
Dr. Gregory Kann, SCEMSA Medical Director, began the summit by presenting data demonstrating the recent success of County efforts to reduce APOT times. Sacramento County has emerged as a leader in the state for APOT improvement, reflecting a consistent decline from 1 hour and three minutes in January 2024 to just over 36 minutes in October 2024.
"We have made remarkable strides in reducing offload times and have demonstrated what's possible through collaboration and innovation," said Dr. Kann. "We're setting the APOT standard for emergency medical services across the state."
Regional healthcare providers and first responders have been at the forefront of experimenting with and implementing innovative strategies to decrease offload times. They weighed in during the summit.
EMS Chief Jon Rudnicki from Sacramento Metro Fire shared effective pre-hospital strategies that enhance readiness and streamline patient flow.
Kaiser Roseville representatives Kimberly Adams and Chris Britton showcased a significant APOT mitigation success story, illustrating innovative approaches that have catalyzed procedural changes and led to measurable improvements in APOT.
Amelia Hart, RN from Mercy San Juan Medical Center, contributed with her presentation on "APOT Alley," emphasizing the vital role of teamwork and communication in overcoming delays during patient transfers.
Dr. Dale Ainsworth from Sacramento State University provided insights into the challenges of sustaining major systemic shifts and expressed admiration for Sacramento County's groundbreaking APOT efforts.
Supervisor Pat Hume also addressed attendees, emphasizing the core goal of ensuring patients in the County receive high quality and timely care. He was inspired by the collaboration and dedication evident among all stakeholders.
Dr. Ryan Quist, Sacramento County Behavioral Health Services Director, addressed the imminent implementation of SB43, and the potential implications for APOT and emergency services.
The summit concluded with a presentation from The Growth Factory introducing an innovative technological solution designed to collect real-time APOT data, thus enabling real-time APOT decision-making. The new platform aims to integrate various existing datasets from different collaborators to provide a comprehensive dashboard. This developing advancement promises measured decision making in the continued efforts to improve APOT and patient outcomes in the County.
The event served as a vital checkpoint, reflecting on what is working and exploring ways to sustain the momentum of improving APOT times. SCEMSA's commitment to advancing patient care through collaborative and innovative practices remains unwavering.