When EMS agencies can't meet their staffing and funding needs, lives are at stake. In Boston, the city government responded to a surge of emergency calls by proposing more funding for emergency medical personnel. But officials still aren't sure why call volumes are increasing, or if demand will ever level off.
One theory, according to The Boston Globe, is that the city is experiencing its share of a national trend. As people live longer, they tend to require more emergency health services as they grow older - leading to higher EMS call volumes.
This could put more stress on EMS and lead to increased overtime costs. If it isn't possible to add staff, workforce management software could help agencies assign overtime in ways that minimize costs while adhering to policy. Agencies could apply fatigue rules to ensure that medics are properly rested between shifts. And historical data could be used for analytics that support future staffing decisions.
Thanks for watching and check back later for more on how technology is being used to improve EMS workforce efficiencies.
