Tele911 Expands Into Maryland, Revolutionizing Emergency Response With Virtual Services
Leader in ER diversion connects patients with board-certified emergency physicians using telemedicine in under a minute, improving care and reducing costs
PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 16, 2024 – Tele911, The Leader in ER Diversion, is expanding its reach into Maryland, enabling 911 callers to access virtual care visits with board-certified emergency physicians without leaving home.
Fire and EMS agencies across Maryland are joining their counterparts in Texas, California, and Florida in adopting Tele911’s innovative solution to easing emergency department overcrowding.
Tele911’s platform integrates telemedicine and patient navigation with 911 systems to divert non-emergent patients away from costly ER visits. This not only reduces unnecessary healthcare spending but also better meets patients’ needs by providing high-quality care in the comfort of their home.
According to company data, Tele911 connects EMS providers on scene with emergency medicine physicians for telemedicine consultations in an average of 37 seconds.
“Our mission is to improve the lives of patients by partnering with EMS and public safety agencies to deliver the right care at the right place at the right time,” said Ramon Lizardo, MD, CEO of Tele911. “We’re thrilled to partner with fire and EMS agencies in Maryland, empowering first responders and patients with access to the nation’s first virtual emergency department.”
The Baltimore City Fire Department, which responds to 235,000 calls each year, recently rolled out Tele911 to Baltimore residents. Diverting a percentage of these calls to telemedicine will help to alleviate the load on both EMS and emergency departments.
Empowering First Responders and Patients
Tele911’s user-friendly, intuitive platform allows paramedics and EMTs to facilitate virtual visits during 911 responses. Emergency physicians consult directly with first responders and patients to provide medical advice and recommend whether patients can safely remain at home or require hospital transport.
National data reveals most 911 calls are for non-urgent issues. According to the Baltimore Sun, 80 percent of 911 calls in Baltimore fall into this category.
“These non-emergent calls present a huge opportunity to deliver a better experience for patients, sparing them from long emergency department wait times, while also enabling more effective and efficient care delivery,” Lizardo said.
Tele911 patient care coordinators follow up after telemedicine visits, assisting with prescription medication delivery, transportation to clinic appointments, or social service referrals.
Strong Growth Projected
Tele911 now serves 17 locations across four states, impacting over 7 million people. The last 9,000+ consults with emergency medicine physicians represent a savings of $28.8 million to health plans across the U.S. Additional fire and EMS agencies continue to be onboarded in Maryland, California, Florida and Texas in preparation for roll out.
“We have over 330 fire departments and EMS agencies in our pipeline, covering 45 million lives,” Lizardo said. “EMS and public health agencies see Tele911 as a game-changer in moving beyond the outdated ‘You call, we haul’ model to a model that’s better for patients, first responders and health systems.”
About Tele911
Tele911 Inc. is a healthcare technology company delivering telemedicine and patient navigation solutions tailored to the emergency medical services sector. The company was founded by leaders in emergency medicine and EMS, whose mission is to improve patients’ lives and expand access to care, while reducing unnecessary healthcare costs and strain on providers. Tele911’s telehealth platform provides integrated, intuitive, user-friendly clinical workflows. This enables more effective, efficient patient triage, care delivery, reporting and follow up to meet the needs of fire departments, EMS agencies, health systems, and local and national payer and risk-bearing organizations. For more information, visit tele911.com.
Media Contact: Josue Perez-Davalos
Chief of Staff, Tele911
(831) 566-7996
