Fayette County launches new non-emergency medical hotline, telehealth program

The Fayette County Fire and EMS Department launched a new non-emergency medical services hotline.According to county officials, the fire department launched the new program to improve the efficiency of non-emergency healthcare, all while keeping ambulances ready to roll out for emergencies.Starting in December, Fayette County Fire and EMS is partnering with RightSite Health to connect non-emergency patients with on-demand emergency room physicians.The service will connect patients to doctors through secure telehealth technology, the county said.[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]The new program is expected to help patients receive the care they need in their homes more often.“Many of the private and public employers now offer a telehealth option as a part of their medical health benefits plans to cut down on costs to the employee and the employer. We are able to facilitate the same, even for members of our community who may not have this option available to them through their own medical benefits plans,” Fire Chief Jeffrey Hill said in a statement, adding that it was a way to offer county residents more convenient treatment options.TRENDING STORIES:‘Big Brother’ contestant from Atlanta recovering from heart attack, multiple cardiac eventsPregnant woman dies from injuries in Athens wrong-way crash that killed husbandFulton County elections officials admits 315,000 votes weren’t signed by poll workersIn the new model for response, Fayette County Fire and EMS crews can offer eligible patients a telehealth visit with an ER physician instead of being transported to a hospital, the county said.The county said patients will be able to choose this as an option, and navigators will work closely with them to schedule primary or urgent care appointments, help fill prescriptions or coordinate round-trip transport for medical visits, if needed.“Our medics will continue to respond to all incidents following a 911 call. Upon arrival, they will conduct a detailed assessment, and if the patient’s condition is determined to be low acuity and non-emergent, a telehealth call to RightSite will be offered. Current laws require ambulances to transport only to hospital emergency rooms,” Assistant Chief Scott Roberts said. “These visits can add up to thousands of dollars. Having the ability to connect our patients to a telehealth visit with an emergency room physician ensures the appropriate level of care at the right facility.”[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]