American Medical Response (AMR), who has been Alameda County’s ambulance provider for over 15 years, lost its contract to Paramedics Plus (PP) when the majority of the county recently decided to change its private ambulance contractor.
The most evident changes residents will see are the different ambulances riding the streets.
In place of AMR’s classic white and red color schemed emergency vehicles, PP’s ambulances are teal in color, have a wider frame and are more durable than the county’s previous ambulances.
“They are equipped with the latest technology, including heart monitors that can send patient heart rhythms directly to emergency rooms ahead of time, and automatic chest compressors called Lucas Devices,” said Jeff Taylor, California Chief Operating Officer for Paramedics Plus. “We’ve invested a substantial amount of capital to allow for the standardization of equipment across all the ambulances and fire engines, which allows for better services to be provided.”
In addition to the cosmetic and mechanical changes, there are some adjustments being made to the way ambulances will perform their duties, as outlined by the county.
State law requires that counties with exclusive ambulance operating areas hold a competitive bidding process every 10 years, which includes a request for proposal from the county.
In Alameda’s 2009 drafted contract proposal, it is required that the incoming contractor must adhere to a new practice called Medical Priority Dispatch Services (MPDS).
MPDS is essentially an evaluation system which includes call screening to help determine where emergency services are needed first.
“This means that some calls to 911 for [example], a broken ankle, may have slower response times than in the past,” says Alameda County EMS Deputy Director Tom Lynch.
On the flip side, someone in cardiac arrest will take first priority, as it is among the most serious and life-threatening conditions in the system’s hierarchy.
Lynch added that the new system allows the dispatch to reroute the closest ambulance in pursuit to a more severe situation.
The Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC), a division of Alameda County Fire, will handle the dispatch and screening of 911 calls for PP.
“With ACRECC handling the dispatch, we eliminate what used to be a built in delay to response times, as now our dispatchers can communicate directly with our First Responders,” said Taylor.
PP has also built an overhead and profit cap into its contract. After a seven percent profit margin, any excess profit will be annually redirected back into the county.
Roughly 365 former AMR employees have been re-hired by PP.
“The residents of Alameda County can still rely on having excellent, professional ambulance and emergency services for themselves and their families,” Lynch stated.
