AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD

200 E. Wells Street City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Meeting Minutes AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD Ald. Mark Borkowski, Chair Marlaina Jackson, Dr. Andrew Calvert, Jeff Fleming, Dr. M. Riccardo Colella, Dr. Robert Riepenhoff, Dr. Benjamin Weston, and Kyle Mirehouse Staff Assistant, Joanna Polanco, 286-2366, Fax: 286-3456, jpolan@milwaukee.gov Legislative Liaison, Luke Knapp, 286-8637, luke.knapp@milwaukee.gov Friday, August 20, 2021 11:00 AM City Hall, Room 301-B 1. Call to Order at 11:07 AM 2. Roll Call. Present 4 - Colella, Borkowski, Riepenhoff and Fleming Absent 1 - Mirehouse Excused 2 - Calvert and Weston 3. Private Provider report Asst Chief Parish presented the providers report, thus far; showing current numbers of call backs and performance. Mr. Baker made correction in regards to the numbers of calls in the month of July.s 25, 35, that that's total close, including backup calls. Due to a large EMS labor supply issue that's really falling on the back of a larger, medical professional supply issue, both nationally and globally, an exhaustive survey has found that while there are a lot of EMS professionals, many end up working a different field. MFD is trying to create better partnerships with local higher education institutions and strengthening those partnerships with established, allied health professions. MFD is looking to use its capacity at a training center to train individuals to put onto the workspace. In addressing the demand from patients, there is a fair amount of medium and low acuity patients; patients have found ways to access the health care system by calling around to other fire departments. EMS systems around the country are seeing the same trend. Regarding to dispatch, the City of Milwaukee has a pretty old dispatch system is undergoing updates that, will offer options such as, automatic vehicle location, tools City of Milwaukee Page 1 AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD Meeting Minutes August 20, 2021 to reprioritize calls and make the entire system more efficient. Unfortunately, nurse triage is not feasible with the current state of the dispatch system. As a measure to adding better prioritization for AMD, exploring another option to identify paramedics backed. Currently, there are only three levels available: ALS, BLS, and private response. Finished equipping most of the vehicles in MF fleet, most of their heavy apparatus with ALS capable goals. Next step will be to add categorization to dispatch. To begin looking at certain types, that wouldn't be good choices for a nurse triage option and hopefully, an alternative destination transport options. Dr colella, added about a year and a half ago, Milwaukee County EMS was awarded the T three Grant to CMS. And part of that initiative was looking at alternate destination, telemedicine presence, and provider, and the seal to help disposition patients. The award was only granted to one of a couple hundred across the country, however, due to COVID, efforts had been paused. These are some efficiencies that we can help to leverage to better serve MFT. Other interesting models are the telemedicine and hospital interfaces options. In conversations with some ED physicians locally and the state health electronic exchange provider, FD is looking at some academic partnerships to help with some of the research to figure out what are going to be some of the best places for our low acuity patients. While continuing researching to better understand the best solution, one of the items that came up was a poll response platform that one of our comparable cities had: where they had the apparatus and ALS or BLS unit on and a unit staff within Advanced Practice practitioner, either NP or PA. Those units were not necessarily part of the MS response, but a supplement, in the event that patient refusal; Hospital transport that advanced practice provider can actually provide care on the scene, and the idea is that, that becomes a part of that patient's longitudinal record. 4. Perspective options to address problems within the Milwaukee EMS system a. Addressing the labor supply issue b. Addressing EMS system demands from patients c. Addressing dispatch-level issues d. Optimizing hospital interfaces e. Novel response options f. Alternative destinations Due to a large EMS labor supply issue that's really falling on the back of a larger, medical professional supply issue, both nationally and globally, an exhaustive survey has found that while there are a lot of EMS professionals, many end up working a different field. MFD is trying to create better partnerships with local higher education institutions and strengthening those partnerships with allied health professions. MFD is looking to use its capacity at a training center to train individuals to put onto the workspace. 5. MFD response to Common council and ASB communications from Bell & Curtis Mr. Jurecki said that they have been working in collaboration with Comptroller's office to come up with a sustainable system. City of Milwaukee Page 2 AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD Meeting Minutes August 20, 2021 Bell send a couple of letters through this year, looking for assistance from the city to help stabilize the system in a financially sustainable method. We have worked with the fire chief, the Comptroller's Office, several of their staff members, and the mayor's office, to look at what this may potentially look like in the future, we co-operated with the Comptroller's Office. Reviewing our financial status regarding income generated by the 911 business, expenses, and such. Mr. baker said that the proposal coming forward from the Milwaukee Fire Department to stabilize the staffing issue is a very good one. 6. Proposal – City to identify funds for MFD to enter into agreement with remaining BLS providers to retain EMS service to facilitate system stabilization $2 million received by City. Common Council will be deliberating to allocate. 7. Proposal – City to identify funds for MFD to offer initial EMS education to residents in an effort to address 911 system deficits. 8. Proposal - MFD to enter into agreement with remaining BLS providers to supplement initial education for EMS providers: Community EMS Student Program (CESP.) 9. Proposal – request city investigate options to work with local higher educational institutions to identify gaps that are inhibiting HC students from entering into EMS positions. 10. Proposal to modify ASB reporting to calendar year 11. Questions-comments from members Meeting adjourned at 12:28 PM Joanna Polanco Staff Assistant In the event that Common Council members who are not members of this committee attend this meeting, this meeting may also simultaneously constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of the following committees: Community and Economic Development, Finance and Personnel, Judiciary and Legislation, Licenses, Public Safety and Health, Public Works, Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development, and/or Steering and Rules. Whether a simultaneous meeting is occurring depends on whether the presence of one or more of the Common Council member results in a quorum of the Common Council or any of the above committees, and, if there is a quorum of another committee, whether any agenda items listed above involve matters within that committee’s realm of authority. In the event that a simultaneous meeting is occurring, no action other than information gathering will be taken at the simultaneous meeting. City of Milwaukee Page 3 AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD Meeting Minutes August 20, 2021 Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request this service, contact the City Clerk's Office ADA Coordinator at 286-2998, (FAX)286-3456, (TDD)286-2025 or by writing to the Coordinator at Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. 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