Beaumont staff review RightSite telehealth model aimed at reducing nonemergent 9-1-1 transports

Right Site Health representatives presented a telehealth model to Beaumont council and staff that pairs EMS crews with on-screen emergency physicians and a social-care navigator to treat many nonemergent 9-1-1 calls at the scene and arrange transport and social services when needed.

Clayton Wahlberg, chief commercial officer for Right Site Health, described the company's model with EMS partners: crews triage patients at the scene, offer an immediate video consult with an emergency physician and navigator, and then the team connects patients to urgent care, primary care, transportation, pharmacy pickup or in-home care. Wahlberg said the company's data from partner systems show roughly 50 percent of EMS 9-1-1 calls are for nonemergent conditions and that Right Site has diverted about 87 percent of its activations in some partners to alternate sites of care or in-home resolution.

Council members and staff asked how the service is paid for; Right Site said it receives reimbursement from health plans (Wahlberg listed Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Molina and Centene as examples) and that it maintains a foundation to ensure uninsured patients are seen. Right Site said it will accept uninsured patients and that the service is covered by Medicare and Medicaid when applicable. The company also described the social services role: navigators schedule rides (rideshares or non-emergency medical transport), refer to community resources, and follow up for up to two weeks.

Council members asked how Right Site would integrate with an existing Good Sam app pilot. Wahlberg said Good Sam can be used on the dispatch front end to identify likely nonemergent calls before EMS arrival, and that Right Site can be launched either out of dispatch or on-scene. Chief medical and EMS leaders present, including Dr. Kavaspar and Chief Singler, said the combined approach could reduce nonemergent ambulance transports and free crews for higher-acuity calls.

Questions from council included insurer participation, how the service treats uninsured patients, and whether rideshare options would work in areas without Uber or Lyft; Right Site said they work with health-plan nonemergency medical-transport benefits and local transport partners when rideshare is unavailable. Council members requested follow-up on contracting terms, liability protections, reporting requirements and a weekly/monthly performance dashboard.

Ending: No formal council vote was taken; council asked staff to continue negotiating details and to bring a contract to council for consideration once reporting, liability and payment arrangements are clarified.