Increase in Calls
Pictured (L-R): Garland Gilliam, Judge Larry Wilson, Karisa Peterson, Chairman Ervin Sorrell, Attorney Brian Pack, Dr. Neil Thornbury, and Judge Jamie Byrd; back toward the camera are Treasurer Shawn Estes and Dr. Joe Middleton. Photo | PJ Martin
By PJ Martin
Editor
The Herald-News
The Barren-Metcalfe County Emergency Medical Services Board of Directors met on December 18th at the TJ Pavilion Community Center. A quorum was present.
The minutes of the October 23, 2024 meeting were approved with one small correction.
Finance Report
The October and November financial reports were presented by Executive Treasurer/Secretary Shawn Estes.
The actual October cash receipts were $581,772 with total adjusted expenses of $571,864 for a net income of $17,569. The October financials were approved.
The actual November cash receipts were $486,631 with total adjusted expenses of $545,181 for a net loss of ($64,787). However, YTD net income is $28,367. The November financials were approved.
Estes explained, “October was a three payroll period, and November actually paid Saturday. So, we had additional retirement costs in November.”
The total operating funds available as of November 30, 2024 was $110,035.29. The sum of 4 CDs available was $1,243,654.80. The total cash available is $1,353,690.09.
Operations Reports
Executive Director Joe Middleton began with the daily run logs. October had a total of 864 runs while November had 852 runs. The YTD (calendar) runs is 10,105 with 8,594 of those in Barren County and 1,511 in Metcalfe County.
Director Middleton then discussed the average run times. Average scene time is 14 minutes and 53 seconds while the average transport time is 13 minutes and 5 seconds.
Middleton pointed out “…one of the things that we have been made aware of is sometimes the dispatch system, they give us, it’s called a care or run ticket, and they are coding runs for the emergency or non-emergency. One of the things that we have found is if dispatch has coded that run as non-emergency. We then simply supplement our record with that, and then we get on scene on a non-emergency complaint and determine that to be an emergency complaint.”
“So had a long discussion over the last couple of days with dispatch to kind of mediate that, and to remove that emergency versus non-emergency coding from the care or the run ticket, and just dispatch the complaint. Then the crew that’s responding is going to handle that as an urgent or an emergent call…”
Next, on the November run report the 2024 YTD run total is 10,105 and Middleton noted, “We actually got to 10,000 runs quicker this year than we have in the past. So that shows we are going to have an increase in that run volume. Right now, it’s targeting a 1.9% increase, but it looks like that’s kind of moving and in the upward direction.”
The average chute time is 1:29 (mm/ss), the average response time is 10:15, average on the scene time is 15:26, the average turnaround time (at the hospital) is 28:09, and the average total call time is 57 minutes and 46 seconds.
Middleton also presented the response report sorted by Fire Dept. District and volume by BMEMS Station.
Training
“The hybrid paramedic program that we’re affiliated with Hopkinsville fire was originally designed to be Hopkinsville and Barren Metcalfe, and we were looking at 3035,” said Middleton adding that Barren County is a satellite hub. Students can attend the lectures at WKUs Glasgow campus or from home using Zoom.
“Each student out of 120 is assigned to a location. We have 19 students assigned to our location. They will come to us. They will receive their training and education for clinical skills, and we will be responsible for their check-offs, and then we’ll report all of that back to Hopkinsville,” explained Middleton.
Billing Services
Bids were received from three billing companies to handle the billing of the Barren Metcalfe Ambulance Service Corp. The current billing company is 911 Billing and the second company EMS/MC. The third AMB was for Hart County billing. After comparing the pricing and options of each it was decided to stay with 911 Billing.
Ambulances
The next three new ambulances are scheduled to arrive in December 2025. Dr. Middlton asked the board to allow him to get proposals for the pricing of future ambulances since they must be ordered a year ahead of time. He had received pricing quotes from Stryker Sales, LLC, and explained that to lock in the price he would need approval to act. He noted that the prices were increasing 15% as of January 1st. He also plans to look into available grants to assist with the costs.
Garland Gilliam asked if he had looked into the AFG grants yet and after a phone search learned the grant deadline was just days away. Middleton replied that he was going to complete the paperwork for that grant in the next few days to meet the deadline.
The approval was given for Middleton to get proposals for 3 to 4 ambulances and apply for the grant.
Attorney Brian Pack called a brief closed session.
The next meeting is scheduled for February 26, 2025, at 4 p.m.
