Ambulance Oversight Committee - August 14, 2020

Present: Desi Fleming, Sherm Syverson, Vicky Black, Heidi Lako-Adamson, MD, Ross Renner, Steve Dirksen, Tim Meyer
Jason Eblen, Christopher Anderson, Craig Nelson
Absent: Tim Mahoney, Julianna Lindgren

Opening 9:00 a.m., Virtual Meeting, Desi Fleming called the meeting to order.

Announcements: None

Approval of Minutes: Approve November 8, 2019 minutes Tim Meyer approved, Vicky Black seconded.
Approve February 14, 2020 minutes Tim Meyer approved, Ross Renner seconded.
All approved unanimously, motion carried.

Data Review:
Jason Eblen reviewed data. Call volume in April plummeted due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Bounced back in May, June, and July. Those were record months in volume. Same reasons for all the top transport calls: abdominal pain, alcohol use, psych, chest pain, weakness and general pain or seizure. Destinations are in the same percentiles and patient decision is the usual. Response time high level for 97%, well over the 90% goal. During meetings with Sanford and Essentia they ran table top drills to make sure that we could meet their needs. Sanford is getting patients from western ND, the burden of transporting them is on the transferring facility. We have flown some with Air-Med. Usually the local ambulance takes them in. Specific COVID unit at Sanford unit down town. Ross Renner asked about what causes the high cancellation level. FM Ambulance staff reassures that this is good thing that means that FM Ambulance did not have to see the potential patient because the officers canceled. The cancelations have also increased since they implemented the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating. Psych numbers went down slightly, which means the officers are referring them to mental health professionals when applicable.

Checking all the committee members, make sure that everyone is listed correctly, Mayor Mahoney, Sherm at Sanford, Vicky for Essentia Health, Juliana Lindgren for VA, Desi Fleming for Public Health, Heidi Lako Adamson twice (once as FCPH health director and once for Medical director for FM), Chief Dirksen, Tim Meyer. Vicki would like to add Toby Jezzard, FCPH will check the ordinance.
How often the meeting occurs, after reviewing the ordinance decision to make a twice a year meeting. We can send out quarterly emails with the data. Meeting dates were decided January 8th and July 9th, (second Friday of the month). Heidi Lako-Adamson makes a motion to approve seconded by Vicky Black. Board unanimously voted in favor, motion carried. Vicky Black assures that if an issue comes up we could call a meeting to order if the current meeting schedule isn’t meeting the needs of the group. Desi agrees that a meeting can be called and we can change the schedule as needed. FM Ambulance assured the board that they want to be transparent as possible and will do whatever the group decides.
Sherm moved to adjourn Craig Nelson seconded, meeting adjourned.

Next Meeting: January 8th, 2020