EMS reports $142,491 recovered from VA claims, rising call volume and staffing improvements

Leavenworth County EMS presented its third‑quarter report Oct. 23, highlighting a successful recovery of $142,491 across 204 previously stalled Department of Veterans Affairs billing claims and reporting operational trends that could affect staffing and resources.

Jamie, the EMS presenter, credited System Director Brian Bailey and outreach to regional and federal offices, including assistance from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s office, with resolving backlogged VA claims. "We were able to collect $142,491 over 204 claims for our veterans here locally that were not being paid," staff reported.

Operational data showed call volume trending upward: the service averaged about 37 calls per day year‑to‑date and recently had a single day with 56 calls. EMS leadership said the system is running with five ambulances countywide and that increasing call volume is creating pressure on response capacity. Staff said the county is monitoring response-time metrics and added that overtime and billing improvements contributed to collections tracking above budget year to date.

Staff also reported improved staffing after board‑approved pay changes; EMS said it had reduced vacancies and was filling paramedic positions faster than in prior years. EMS plans to join the region-wide Pulsara patient-tracking platform (no subscription cost to the county) to enable continuous patient tracking from field to hospital and support metropolitan coordination for events such as the upcoming World Cup. The service also noted an upcoming retirement of a long‑time training administrator and that training and quality‑assurance processes are being updated.

The board asked about hospital destination choice for stabilized patients; EMS leaders reiterated a clinical‑criteria and closest‑appropriate‑facility approach and said long transports to preferred hospitals can strain county system capacity.