For the first time, we are releasing the raw data showing that National EMS consistently fails to meet its contractually-required response-time standards. We hope to provide additional transparency and to clear up some confusion about what these numbers mean. For analysis of the data and the bigger picture, check out our previous post in this series.
The first four spreadsheets are the raw, unprocessed data from 2014 to 2017 as received from the Georgia Department of Public Health through a state Open Records Request. Excel spreadsheets 5-8 are the data as processed by our accountant. We are also attaching further documentation, including a copy of the Open Records Request itself.
The type of call we are tracking are those that come in through 911 and are labeled “911 Emergency Response” by the Georgia Department of Public Health (Column C of the Excel spreadsheet, “Type of Service Requested”). All 50,918 calls we tracked have the words “911 Emergency Response” in Column C. Transfers between hospitals do not typically come in through 911 despite what National EMS Chief Operating Officer Benny Atkins recently claimed.
Note that in the raw data Excel spreadsheet, Column A is “Service Name – National EMS,” Column B is “Incident County – Clarke,” and Column C is “Type of Service Requested – 911 Emergency Response.” Again, all 50,918 calls we had analyzed are from Column C and labeled “911 Emergency Response” by the Georgia Department of Public Health. This means that all calls were made from Athens, Georgia and started as 911 emergency calls.
Finally, we would like to emphasize further that averages can be highly deceptive. The National Fire Protection Association 1710 and Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Standards call for EMS response within 8 minutes and 59 seconds 90 percent of the time, as does National’s contract, with no mention of a required average. We have been asking National for years to provide the time within which it answers 90 percent of its calls and it has steadfastly refused to release those numbers. Now we know why.
Athens for Everyone
July 2, 2018
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