The Houston Fire Department has been taking on more than just fires. As part of its evolving role, firefighters are now also responding to medical calls, often dealing with non-emergency situations. According to a report from NPR, many of these calls don’t require immediate emergency care, but they still tie up valuable resources.
On a rainy morning, firefighter Tyler Hooper arrived at an apartment complex near Hobby Airport to check on Susan Carrington, a 56-year-old woman who was struggling to breathe and coughing heavily. She had no regular doctor and had called 911 out of fear. Hooper, along with three other firefighters, assessed her condition using basic medical tools and found that her vital signs were stable. Instead of rushing her to the ER, he used a tablet to connect her with a doctor via video chat.
Dr. Kenneth Margolis, stationed 20 miles away in the city’s emergency dispatch center, joined the call. He asked questions, observed Carrington’s symptoms, and determined that she didn’t need an emergency room visit. Instead, he scheduled her an appointment at a local clinic the next day and arranged for a free taxi ride to take her there. The system, known as Project Ethan, allows patients like Carrington to receive timely care without overwhelming the ER.
Project Ethan, short for Emergency TeleHealth and Navigation, was launched across all fire stations in mid-December. Dr. Michael Gonzalez, the program’s director and an emergency medicine professor at Baylor College of Medicine, says the initiative aims to redirect non-urgent cases to primary care clinics rather than ERs. This not only saves time but also helps reduce the burden on emergency departments, which are often overcrowded.
Gonzalez emphasizes that the program isn’t about turning people away—it offers a real alternative. Patients get same-day or next-day appointments, along with transportation. City health workers also follow up to address any underlying issues that might lead people to use 911 unnecessarily.
While the program costs over $1 million annually, funded in part by federal Medicaid waivers, Gonzalez believes it will eventually save the region millions by reducing unnecessary ER visits. A 2011 study showed that 40% of ER visits in the Houston area were for issues that could have been handled in outpatient clinics. Treating those patients in clinics instead of ERs could save more than $2 million in healthcare costs each year.
For Carrington, the experience was reassuring. “They’ll take you to the clinic and your appointment is at 9:30. Does that sound reasonable?†Dr. Margolis asked. “Yes, sir,†she replied. “OK, I hope you feel better.â€
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