Sredzinski Presents Ideas On 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers

From The Office Of Rep. J.P. Sredzinski

HARTFORD - State Representative JP Sredzinski (R-112) was requested to give a presentation before a legislatively-mandated State of Connecticut working group on how 9-1-1 centers can be impacted by or have an impact on the concept of Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) Systems. Also known as community para-medicine, MIH is the concept of sending a reduced emergency response to evaluate patients in a stable condition. The General Assembly approved a measure to form a working group (Public Act 17-146, sec. 5) to make recommendations based on the benefits of MIH systems.

Rep. Sredzinski, who is also Ranking Member on the General Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, highlighted two central points in his presentation to the MIH working group:

1. 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers can certainly play a role in MIH delivery as long as we implement the appropriate protocols, provide the right training, and don't burden our communities with a responsibility they are not prepared to handle.

1. 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers should be utilized as "triage determination centers" and not "call processing centers", meaning we should not direct people to call them if they need an evaluation, but callers can be re-routed to the right place if determined to not need emergency care.

"As someone who has been working in the 9-1-1 Communications field for 18 years, I felt privileged to offer a presentation on a progressive concept in healthcare to this working group,” said Rep. Sredzinski. “The adoption of MIH systems would require a paradigm shift in our state and it would take some time to get accustomed to, but I feel the potential outcome is well worth the effort. If Connecticut can improve the public health system at the same time we are reducing costs, then that would be a true win-win. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to play a small part in working toward that system."

The working group convened on September 5, 2017 and will present its findings to the Public Health Committee of the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2019.