EMS sees highest calls in July

0
1452
Grand County EMS photo source: https://www.grandcountyems.com/
Grand County EMS photo source: https://www.grandcountyems.com/

Call Volume, Response Time
Ray Jennings, Chief of Emergency Medical Services in Grand County, reported to the Board of County Commissioners that the summer months are the busiest for Grand County. July has the highest call volume, with August in second place, and December in third. Chief Jennings says Grand County offers more diversity in recreational opportunities allowing visitors many opportunities from mountain biking, road biking, dirt biking, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, and various community events. “There is more opportunity to do more stuff.” Throughout the week, Jennings reported that the GCEMS is running at least three GCEMS ambulances on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the busier end of the week there are four to five ambulances protecting the community. The GCEMS crews

Chief Jennings says Grand County offers more diversity in recreational opportunities allowing visitors many opportunities from mountain biking, road biking, dirt biking, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, and various community events. “There is more opportunity to do more stuff.” Throughout the week, Jennings reported that the GCEMS is running at least three GCEMS ambulances on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the busier end of the week there are four to five ambulances protecting the community. The GCEMS crews

Throughout the week, Jennings reported that the GCEMS is running at least three GCEMS ambulances on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the busier end of the week there are four to five ambulances protecting the community. The GCEMS crews

The GCEMS crews cover events throughout the entire county and noticeably finds the slowest district is generally Grand Lake while Winter Park has the highest EMS call volume year round. Incidentally, Winter Park also provides the largest tax base. “We are a fluid system and our call volume varies,” reported Jennings who says depending on critical calls an ambulance may be pulled from one area to help in another area. Jennings

“We are a fluid system and our call volume varies,” reported Jennings who says depending on critical calls an ambulance may be pulled from one area to help in another area. Jennings stated, “GCEMS covers all of Grand County as one whole system, not as individual parts”. Of approximately 2200 yearly calls, 60% of the call volume is tourists and 40% is local. Jennings has seen an upward trend of more local residents utilizing GCEMS since 2004 and credits that to building a strong relationship with the community and an increasing reputation

Of approximately 2200 yearly calls, 60% of the call volume is tourists and 40% is local. Jennings has seen an upward trend of more local residents utilizing GCEMS since 2004 and credits that to building a strong relationship with the community and an increasing reputation for medical care.

The average response time across the County is 16 minutes for the EMS. Grand County is a large landmass to protect with Kremmling having the largest area to cover from the top of Rabbit Ears, on the Trough Road to State Bridge, the Green Mountain Reservoir near Heeney and the Henderson Mill road. “It is a big area to cover with the number of ambulances we have” Jennings stated.

Agreement with MPMC
Jennings also asked the commissioners for permission to approach the Medical Park Medical Center (MPMC) to review their billing agreement. Since 2014, GCEMS has provided MPMC a discount for ambulance transports from the Granby or Kremmling facility to the other medical facility for an intra-facility transport. The agreement charged the medical facility at the current Medicare Rate at a savings to MPMC of $38,382.53 for the 2016 year. This aided MPMC to become profitable and now that the medical center is reporting profits, Jennings suggests the agreement be adjusted to a more equitable rate of 15% which would still allow MPMC a projected savings of $18,207.76. This would offset the losses incurred by Grand County EMS to provide the service.

The EMS is funded by two primary sources a voter approved 2 Mill property tax levy and from fees generated for providing ambulance services. GCEMS works to provide an offset for local residents with a locals discount who pay property taxes versus tourists who do not pay into the property tax fund.

New Billing System
Jennings reported he is evaluating an option for GCEMS to move from an in-house billing system to privatizing the ambulance billing system. A vendor, AMB could be contracted for a period time limit of three years. AMB would receive 5% of paid collections on ambulance bills for completing all of the billing processes. Jennings stated the advantages of outsourcing/privatizing the billing processes would provide a be a cost reduction in telephone lines, reduction in software and hardware costs and training of the billing staff. He also noted that AMB is required to maintain all required certifications and

The average response time across the County is 16 minutes for the EMS. Grand County is a large landmass to protect with Kremmling having the largest area to cover from the top of Rabbit Ears, on the Trough Road to State Bridge, the Green Mountain Reservoir near Heeney and the Henderson Mill road. “It is a big area to cover with the number of ambulances we have” Jennings stated. Agreement with MPMC Jennings also asked the commissioners for permission to approach the Medical Park Medical Center (MPMC) to review their billing agreement. Since 2014, GCEMS has provided MPMC a discount for ambulance transports from the Granby or Kremmling facility to the other medical facility for an intra-facility transport. The agreement

The agreement changed the medical facility at the current Medicare Rate at a savings to MPMC of $38,382.53 for the 2016 year. This aided MPMC to become profitable and now that the medical center is reporting profits, Jennings suggests the agreement be adjusted to a more equitable rate of 15% which would still allow MPMC a projected savings of $18,207.76. This would offset the losses incurred by Grand County EMS to provide the service. The EMS is funded by two primary sources a voter approved 2 Mill property tax levy and from fees generated for providing ambulance services. GCEMS works to provide an offset for local residents with a locals discount who pay property taxes versus tourists who do not pay into the property tax fund. New Billing System Jennings reported he is evaluating an option for GCEMS to move from an in-house billing system to privatizing the ambulance billing system. A vendor, AMB could be contracted for a period time limit of three years. AMB would receive 5% of paid collections on ambulance bills for completing all of the billing processes. Jennings stated the advantages of outsourcing/privatizing the billing processes would provide a be a cost reduction in telephone lines, reduction in software and hardware costs and training of the billing staff. He also noted that AMB is required to maintain all required certifications and compliances for ambulance billing, coding, Medicare, and Medicaid. The change in billing follows a turnover of two individuals in billing in a relatively short time leaving vacancies which may have additional cost savings.