When you are calling 911 during a health crisis, you are already stressed. One of the few sources of comfort you have is that you are familiar with the process: after some questions are addressed, you will soon be in an ambulance ride on your way to an emergency room.
Not to worry. You can be assured that the procedure you know is still in place. If, however, your health situation is not an emergency, you now have the option to talk to a licensed nurse about other health care services as well. In other words, 911 is the same as it was before, except that there is now an additional service for those who want to take advantage of it.
This new service is Crosswalk to Care, a program that resulted from a partnership between Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (IEMS) and the City of Indianapolis. Since the emergency room is not the best option for all health needs, Crosswalk to Care helps callers weigh a range of health care alternatives. Callers who simply want a discussion with a provider can opt for a telehealth service, for example. Others may want to talk to a behavioral health professional. Still others may prefer an in-person appointment with a health care center, such as an Eskenazi Health Center location.
Health care options can be confusing, especially which service is best for which ailment or condition. The medical expertise of the licensed nurses helps a caller navigate the range of different possibilities to find the best service for their needs.
For example, an emergency room doctor is equipped for and accustomed to quick action to save lives and may not be able to have lengthy conversations about routine care for conditions that do not require urgent attention. Primary care providers, however, have the resources and care teams to begin and continue comprehensive care for non-urgent health conditions. They can also begin discussions about nutritional and exercise practices, testing and medications for long-term health. If you are seeking these types of services, a visit to a health care center instead of an emergency room would be advised.
In addition to consultations about health care options, Crosswalk to Care offers another service not previously available to 911 callers: nurses will give you a follow-up call to check whether you arranged the health care appointment you need. In some cases, the nurses will even arrange transportation to conduct you to a health care visit or give you instructions for self-care.
A caller can always opt to return to the 911 dispatcher for an ambulance at any point in the call. If a caller’s health status changes during the call, the nurse can also determine that emergency care is needed and route the call back to the 911 dispatcher.
If you have spent any time researching symptoms online, you know it can be frightening to figure out what your health situation is. It always seems like the same symptoms that mean you have nothing to worry about in one context can mean you are in danger in another. It is not surprising, therefore, that many of us call 911 in situations that do not prove to be emergencies. Crosswalk to Care provides that middle ground for us, giving us alternatives to an emergency room that can cure or lessen the symptoms of our sicknesses without requiring us to spend time in the stressful environment of an emergency room.
In addition, if many 911 callers are routed to other places, emergency rooms in our city may become less crowded and the waits shorter, freeing up medical teams to get to us more quickly when we are in an emergency medical situation.
With Crosswalk to Care, more of us can be assured that the care we need is available to us.
Ananda Kannappan, M.D., primary care physician and Lifestyle Medicine practitioner with Eskenazi Health Center Grande