ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. — Onslow County Emergency Services has adopted a new paramedic dispatch model that does not automatically send an ambulance to every call.

Previously, EMS units responded to all six of the county’s emergency medical dispatch levels. Now, single paramedics are automatically sent to the lowest-priority calls and to lift-assist calls , giving first responders more flexibility and keeping ambulances available for higher-acuity emergencies, The Daily News reported.

| MORE: From sirens to solutions: Guiding paramedics to a patient-centered mindset

On lower-priority calls, a paramedic will assess the patient to decide whether an ED transport is needed or if referral to urgent care or a primary care provider is appropriate. The changes will make EMS response more

See Full Page