MANATEE COUNTY, FL (June 17, 2024) – Manatee County Public Safety has joined forces with public safety telehealth provider MD Ally to improve healthcare for residents and create a stronger and more resilient public safety system.
This partnership—known as Manatee Telehealth—will help increase the range of services available to 911 dispatchers, allowing them to connect non-emergency callers with a healthcare professional trained in emergency medicine via telehealth. This will enhance healthcare options for the community and improve access to care.
Beginning June 18, Manatee County Emergency Communicators will now be able to transfer non-emergency medical situations to telehealth professionals in real-time. Trained experts can conduct virtual visits with patients, providing treatment recommendations, prescriptions, transportation to medical facilities, behavioral health support and connections to local community resources from the comfort of their homes.
Manatee Telehealth services can handle a variety of common 911 call types, including prescription refills, chronic pain, cold and flu symptoms, gastrointestinal issues, skin conditions and migraines. This approach will allow the County to better support patients while freeing up essential Public Safety personnel and ambulances to handle urgent emergencies.
"We are proud to partner with MD Ally to offer services that meet our community's needs," said Deputy Director of Public Safety James Crutchfield. "This is going to partition off non-emergent calls out of the 911 system to get them connected to a provider."
Manatee County Public Safety is dedicated to improving outcomes for its residents. The implementation of Manatee Telehealth in 911 dispatch is innovative, and leadership is looking forward to the positive impact it will have on the community.
About MD Ally: MD Ally partners with Public Safety systems to expand their service offerings to include telehealth. This allows dispatchers and first responders to connect non-emergency individuals with telehealth and virtual community paramedicine in real-time. To learn more about MD Ally, visit mdally.com.
About Manatee County Public Safety: The Manatee County Public Safety Department consists of six divisions, each serving a special purpose or function to ensure the safety of our citizens and to preserve or enhance the quality of life in the county. Public Safety works daily with citizens, elected officials and other county law enforcement and fire agencies toward these ends. The common thread among these Public Safety divisions is that they respond directly to the needs of the citizens of Manatee County, often for emergencies and sometimes for routine community services.