Case Study: Florida County Incorporates Telemedicine Technology into 911 Response

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By Catherine Dorrough

Lee County, Fla., has partnered with public safety telehealth company MD Ally to add an extra tier of response to incoming 911 calls. The partnership will enable patients with non-emergency calls to connect virtually to a physician, according to an MD Ally press release.

The partnership’s goals are threefold: to save costs for Lee County, to reduce the amount of time it takes for a patient to connect with a physician, and to expand the scope of services provided through EMS. The deal’s brokers also hope the partnership will improve ambulance response times by focusing emergency resources on true emergencies; prevent first responder burnout; and mitigate hospital overcrowding, according to the release.

MD Ally is a minority and woman-led tech startup founded in 2018 by CEO Shanel Fields. The company has raised $4.6M in total so far.

"We want to provide our community with the right care in the right setting, and in some cases that doesn't have to involve a trip to the emergency room," said Lee County Public Safety Director Benjamin Abes in the announcement. "The ability for our team to connect residents to a physician that will address their concerns in real-time will improve access to care and healthcare outcomes, while ensuring our crews are more available to respond to emergencies in the community."

The partnership will utilize Lee County’s existing technical infrastructure, EMS protocols, and workflows in an effort to facilitate a smooth adoption of the new telehealth resource.