A closer look
Council member Carlos Flores brought up MedStar using a lot of resources to provide help for homeless people in town.
“They are calling 911 and getting an ambulance,” he said. “That was their default health care plan, right? Financially, that’s not sustainable.”
Davis clarified that the department will look into working with partners like JPS Health Network or nonprofits to aid with homeless care. Council member Elizabeth Beck suggested the Healing Shepherd Clinic could help those in need, but not necessarily utilize an ambulance.
“One very positive thing about putting us all together as MedStar in the fire department is that we'll all be in the same place, working on the same issues with one direction and leadership,” Davis said.
The transition will take place July 1 after Fort Worth City Council voted in May 2024 to dissolve MedStar and provide EMS services to Fort Worth and 13 other cities and villages.
Diving deeper
Beck asked Davis if the Mobile Integrated Healthcare Program, started by MedStar in 2009, would still be available for residents. Davis said there were no changes to the program and it would still be an option.
According to the MedStar website, the program was created to address a response that did not need an ambulance trip.
In 2008, 21 patients were transported more than 2,000 times by MedStar, which resulted in nearly $1 million in charges. Patients who enroll receive regularly scheduled home visits from a paramedic.
Also on the agenda
Dr. Jeffrey Jarvis, the emergency medical services medical director, spoke to council about participating in the National Emergency Medical Services Research Network.
He said officials with the University of Pittsburgh reached out about joining a study called LITES around trauma research, which is funded by the Department of Defense.
If approved later by council, Fort Worth Fire Department and JPS would take part in a pain study, which looks at the use of FDA-approved fentanyl and ketamine in trauma patients. He said the study would dive into the effectiveness of the pain medication and which has fewer side effects.
Jarvis noted that both of the drugs are often used illicitly as a drug of abuse, but the versions used with the medical community are regulated and the ingredients are known.
He said patients do not have to take part in the study. Women who are pregnant, prisoners and children are excluded from joining the study.
What else?
According to a city news release, 14 cities have signed on for ambulance services that Fort Worth will provide and allocation costs will be based on use. EMS services will have an $85 million annual budget with anticipated revenues of $65 million.
