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Detroit Fire Department outlines 911 nurse‑navigation pilot to triage low‑priority calls
Summary
Detroit Fire Department officials told the Public Health & Safety committee the city fields about 150,000 911 calls a year and estimates 25% are low priority; a proposed 'nurse navigation' program would route those calls to nurses to triage, schedule transports or arrange telehealth, with a vendor selection and pilot timeline beginning next year.
Derek Hellman, second deputy commissioner of the Detroit Fire Department, briefed the Public Health & Safety Standing Committee on a proposed nurse‑navigation program intended to reduce nonemergency 911 dispatches and preserve emergency resources.
Hellman said the department fields roughly 150,000 911 calls annually and that about 25% of those are low‑priority medical requests that strain crews and resources. Under the program, low‑priority calls would be transferred from dispatch to a nurse who can triage, provide quality‑control assessment, arrange urgent‑care referrals, schedule nonurgent transports, or provide telehealth options. Hellman said true emergencies would continue to receive immediate ambulance response.
He outlined an implementation timeline in which the city expects to complete a bid review in Q3 2025, select a vendor and negotiate a contract in Q4, begin a pilot in January, run a soft rollout in early 2026 and aim for a broader rollout by spring 2026. Hellman said vendor platforms under consideration include translation capabilities for up to 200 languages.
Member Mary Waters said she supported the approach and compared it to existing healthcare call triage systems in medical offices. Council members asked for more detail on vendor relationships, nurse credentials and how the program would connect with the health department’s existing transportation and maternal support services. Hellman said the department plans a public information campaign as part of the rollout and that the vendor selection will include site visits and qualification checks.
The committee received the presentation and expressed support but did not vote on funding or enter contract negotiations during the meeting. Officials said they would return with vendor details and further information on training and oversight as the procurement progresses.
