For rural emergency crews, having an extra set of eyes and ears can make all the difference when it comes to treating a patient. When the nearest hospital is miles away, every minute counts. With that in mind, a new program spearheaded by Nebraska DHHS is equipping small-town ambulances with life saving telemedicine technology.
The $1.3 million initiative is funded by a Centers for Disease Control Health Disparities grant. Friend Rescue is one of 20 rural EMS crews benefitting from the program.
With a coverage area of roughly 100 square miles and just 11 volunteers, rescue captain Kelly Paulsen said telemedicine technology not only helps out her crew, but the patients they care for.
“Sometimes we only have one EMT in the back of the ambulance, that one EMT working on that patient,” Paulsen said.