Nurse Navigator Program Expands in East Count
The Nurse Navigator program, developed by Global Medical Response, has been expanded to cover all San Diego County Central Zone agencies dispatched by Heartland Communication Facility Authority.
Nurse Navigator is a 911 program where HCFA dispatchers ask specific questions during emergency calls to assess the urgency of the caller's situation. While many cases still necessitate a visit to the emergency room, some issues can be addressed through a non-emergency processes such as Urgent Care or Telehealth visit . In these instances, the caller is directed to the Nurse Navigator call center, where a nurse will further triage the call and can help identify the best course of action for their care. This ensures that local first responders are available for high acuity emergencies.
The Nurse Navigator program was first rolled out over a year ago in the City of El Cajon saving patients and emergency services over $700,000. On October 23, 2024, the Nurse Navigator program was rolled out to the rest of the fire and medical agencies of the Central Dispatch Zone. These agencies and cities include Alpine Fire Protection District, Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Protection District, Lakeside Fire Protection District,
La Mesa Fire Department, Lemon Grove Fire Department, San Miguel Fire Protection District, Santee Fire Department, Viejas Fire Department, Barona Fire Department, Sycuan Fire Department. This expansion will increase the people served by this program from 100,000 to 600,000 East County residents.
This rollout event drew a lot of media attention. Below are some of the stories that ran on local media platforms staring some of HCFA Staff!
San Diego NBC 7 Story
San Diego ABC 10 Story
San Diego Union Tribune Story
Click on image to read full story.