We might not have many phone numbers memorized anymore, but we all know 911. We know what happens when we call. Even if we have never notified emergency services before, we’ve seen enough television shows and movies to know the drill.
That is, we did know the drill. Now, we know only part of it. Much of the process will still be familiar: If we need emergency medical care, the ambulance will still be sent. If, however, we are in a non-emergency health situation, the 911 dispatcher will offer to route us to a nurse who can walk us through health care options outside of the emergency room.
Crosswalk to Care, this nurse-led care navigation program, resulted from a partnership between the City of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (IEMS). The goal is for the 911 service to meet the individual needs of all callers.
For example, one caller may be best served by a telehealth appointment. Another caller may want to meet with a behavioral health professional or to start an ongoing relationship with a new primary care provider at an Eskenazi Health Center or other health center location. A nurse can help the caller schedule the preferred appointment and in certain cases even arrange transportation to that appointment. Nurses at Crosswalk to Care have the medical background to filter through options and come up with the best solution for the caller’s situation. The program even includes a follow-up call to ensure needs are met.
That isn’t to say that any of us are forced to use this nurse-led care navigation program. If we feel an ambulance is called for, we can ask to be routed back to the dispatcher at any time. A nurse who feels our situation has worsened can also send us back to the dispatcher for an ambulance.
We don’t always know for sure whether we are experiencing a health emergency. Most of us will err on the side of being safe and call 911 if we are uncertain. Why wouldn’t we, if our safety is on the line? If the situation proves not to be a health emergency, however, we were still feeling unwell enough to think that it was. Having a nurse at the other end of the line who can take us through health care options is a great service Indianapolis is now offering to all of us.
There is another benefit to this program: If we are sent to the emergency room after a 911 call, we will likely have a shorter wait and therefore are more likely to receive quicker life-saving care if only those who need to be there are present. Crosswalk to Care will help ensure all of us get the type of health support that makes the most sense for us.
Broderick Rhyant, M.D., chief physician executive with
Eskenazi Health Center Grande
