Santa Clara Co. launches 911 Nurse Navigator program to free up resources for emergencies

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County emergency responders are offering a new kind of service when you dial 911 for an EMT.

Nick Clay is the Director of Emergency and Medical Services Agency with the county.

"Maybe you don't have access to healthcare, maybe you're uninsured, maybe you don't have a ride or maybe there's other things that prevent you from getting access to your primary care - your only option is 911 and unfortunately by doing that it's taking that service away from other folks," Clay said.

The new system launched Wednesday and it's called 911 Nurse Navigator.

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911 dispatchers still pick up the call, but if an in-person response is not needed, the caller can be connected to a licensed nurse.

"Assess that patient over the telephone, either provide nurse line advice, or make them a clinic appointment or primary care appointment arrange transportation whether that's an issue. You could end up getting a rideshare to a clinic or to an urgent care or to a pharmacy if you need a prescription filled, if you don't have access to transportation currently," Clay said.

Clay said these are for low equity calls like stomach aches or headaches.

The Nurse Navigator is part of a pilot program offered to residents in the West Valley like Los Altos or Cupertino, and South Bay that include Morgan Hill and Gilroy.

Yacanex Posadas is a community advocate based out of downtown Gilroy.

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"Even today, my parents still ask for me to order them an Uber, right, so I can see the benefit right away," Posadas said.

Posadas sees this as a positive value for residents there.

"If you're in Gilroy, and you have to go all the way to the main hospital like in San Jose or any other one, it may not even be needed, right? So that would help out a lot of folks," Posadas said.

The pilot program is expected to last for 3-6 months.

"We are adding a tool, we're not taking away services and I think that's a really important point - it may feel like when I call 911 I'm used to getting an ambulance, I'm used to getting transported to the hospital, but we want to give folks an additional option to healthcare," Clay said.