Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
 In the past 12 years, the ambulance service has responded to more than 100,000 calls. FORT WORTH, TX (Catholic Online) - A lot of people call 911 with very minor medical complaints. Today, an ambulance will be automatically sent to any and all callers. Under the new 911 nurse program, a nurse in the dispatch center will identify patients who may not need an ambulance ride. In many cases, the caller will be offered a free taxi ride to the clinic or health center. Out of 100,00 calls that the ambulance service has responded to in the past 12 years, only about 12,000 would qualify for this program, according to MedStar. Saving patients money and to have ambulances that are free to respond to more serious calls is the goal as of now. "Our feeling is, if we can get you an appointment at a clinic or your doctor's office, or somewhere else, you can wait at home for the clinic appointment time," MedStar spokesman Matt Zavadsky explained. "We're very excited about bringing a revolutionary new method of handling 911 calls to this community," The pilot program starts in May. © 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM. - - - Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013 General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him. Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance. |
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