By Kathy Chouteau
Community members and visitors calling 911 in certain Fire Protection Districts as of June 10 may receive another medical service option due to a new program called Nurse Navigation.
Those within the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Crockett-Carquinez Fire Department, Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District and El Cerrito-Kensington Fire Departments will have access to Nurse Navigation via a partnership with Global Medical Response (GMR). Callers to 911 will receive expanded medical options by being connected to the most appropriate level of medical care at the right time/location.
Nurse Navigation is a new facet of Contra Costa Fire’s existing 911 dispatching services; when a caller’s condition doesn’t require emergency care/transport, a Nurse Navigator will step in to determine the proper path for treatment and assist in coordinating access to care.
Ultimately, the program connects residents to the level of care directly relevant to their needs, whether or not the caller has medical insurance and without cost for the service. Calls for urgent, life-threatening, or possible life-threatening emergencies will still see ambulances and Fire District personnel dispatched.
“By connecting callers with the right resources, it helps reduce pressure on emergency departments and allows our ambulances and first responders to focus on the most urgent cases, said Xon Burris, Jr., assistant fire chief EMS Division.
Burris added that the program is an important step in providing exceptional care to the residents and visitors of Contra Costa County while ensuring its emergency services remain responsive and effective. Learn more.