Napa County's ambulance service achieves 95.12% response time compliance in 2024

Napa County's Board of Supervisors meeting on May 20, 2025, highlighted significant advancements in emergency medical services, particularly regarding ambulance response times and patient care metrics. The meeting underscored the county's commitment to improving emergency response, with American Medical Response (AMR) achieving an impressive 95.12% on-time response rate for 17,377 calls in 2024, well above the state standard of 90%.

The discussion began with a report on ambulance patient offload times, which are critical for ensuring timely care. Napa County's average offload time stands at 13 minutes for Queen of the Valley Hospital and 10 minutes for Adventist Health Santa Elena, both significantly below the state-mandated 20 minutes. This achievement reflects ongoing efforts to streamline emergency services amid statewide challenges.

A key focus of the meeting was the introduction of clinical compliance standards, making Napa County the first in California to implement such metrics. These standards evaluate the quality of care provided during emergencies, including critical interventions for cardiac arrest and stroke patients. The data revealed that AMR met all clinical compliance standards in 2024, showcasing the county's leadership in emergency medical services.

The Board also addressed community outreach efforts aimed at increasing bystander CPR rates, which have seen a decline. Officials noted a potential hesitancy among the public to perform CPR, possibly influenced by post-COVID attitudes. To combat this, the county is enhancing educational initiatives, including programs targeting younger audiences to foster engagement and preparedness.

In addition, the meeting touched on the use of air ambulances, with a new auto-launch protocol designed to optimize response times. This protocol has led to an increase in helicopter dispatches, which, while resulting in higher cancellation rates, aims to ensure that the highest level of care is available when needed.

Overall, the meeting reflected Napa County's proactive approach to enhancing emergency medical services, focusing on both response efficiency and quality of care. As the county continues to refine its strategies, officials expressed optimism about improving community health outcomes and emergency preparedness in the future.