Multnomah County seeing improvements in AMR service

MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV) - After months of criticism for American Medical Response’s poor response time and availability, new data shows AMR’s new model is dramatically improving access to care in Multnomah County.

Last year, the county imposed multiple fines on AMR because of their long response times to patients in need and availability, or rather lack of availability, but new data shows improvements in both categories.

In mid-August, AMR began deploying advanced life support units staffed with a paramedic and an EMT. This change came on the same day it signed a new agreement with Multnomah County to address the urgent need to improve response times and cut down on cases where no ambulances are available to help people in need.

According to the agreement, AMR has until Nov. 1 to meet certain response times and access expectations, but this latest report shows AMR’s new model is proving successful over a month ahead of schedule.

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Back on Sept. 16, AMR launched the entirely new deployment plan which had an immediate increase in available ALS ambulances per day.

So far, AMR has hired 65 new EMT’s and is purchasing 12 new ambulances.

Since deploying the plan, AMR has seen a 24% improvement in total ALS ambulances deployed per day and an 85% decrease in events where no ambulance is available.

“With us not looking back but looking forward, repairing a lot of relationships with county EMS, with the Board, we’re at the opinion now that we’ll be working cohesively together so that eight, nine and 10 months down the road,” Rob McDonald, regional director for AMR, said back in August.

AMR says this new deployment plan will act as the foundation for further increases in ambulance availability leading up to the Nov. 1 live date.

FOX 12 has reached out to Multnomah County for response on the update from AMR. The county sent back the following statement:

“It is a positive step that AMR has increased hiring EMTs but it is too soon to tell definitively that there has been clear improvement in ambulance availability and response times. The County is encouraged by AMR’s optimism and reported progress during their ramp up to Nov. 1. That is the day when, under the terms of the settlement agreement, the company is expected to be in strict compliance. AMR still has a lot of work ahead and we will continue to work with them in the coming months toward achieving our shared goal of increased ambulance availability and better response times for the people of Multnomah County.”