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when the paramedics were cleared to leave the hospital. This past year, it was an average of <br />28 minutes. There is frequently no staff available from the Emergency Department ready to <br />receive a report from the paramedic. He said that they have been working with the hospital to <br />stage another ambulance stretcher at the hospital so that they can leave a stretcher at the <br />hospital with a patient on it and take an empty one in order to free the ambulance. <br />Chair Jacobs asked Kent McKenzie if he had talked with UNC Hospitals about why it is taking <br />so much longer. Kent McKenzie said yes and that he also sits an the Disaster Committee and <br />they have looked at disaster related issues and how that affects the hospital. The hospital has <br />tried to create an "express lane" for EMS patients to make it practical far any nurse to take a <br />report from a paramedic rather than just the charge nurse. UNC Healthcare is also looking at a <br />major expansion ar replacement of the Emergency Department to address these concerns. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked how many ambulances the County operates. Kent McKenzie <br />said that they operate three or four an a typical day. <br />Kent McKenzie answered several clarifying questions of the County Commissioners. <br />HealthlDental Department <br />Request for Bill/Accounting Technician I and Dental Assistant focusing on the Spanish speaking <br />population. <br />Health Director Rosemary Summers said that the reimbursement specialist is a product partially <br />of a change in the way reimbursement to health departments has been structured in the state. <br />The change created a lot more room for error and there has been a discrepancy in things that <br />are billed to Medicaid and the payments received. They would also like to offer assistance to <br />patients with applying for low-cost pharmacy services. It takes a lot of applications for someone <br />to qualify far these programs. <br />Rosemary Summers said that at their clinic they serve Hispanic/Latino clients on Tuesdays. <br />They have started offering another half day once a month to take care of the backlog. The <br />interpreter is only there on Tuesdays because they use the interpreter for other services during <br />the week. A bilingual dental assistant will help reduce the backlog and take care of part of the <br />cast of this position. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the percentage of broken appointments and Rosemary <br />Summers said that at the dental clinic it is 25°~. They keep full schedules because they double <br />back their appointment slots. The interpreter calls clients now, but sometimes he cannot reach <br />them the day before their appointment. <br />Information Technology <br />Request for Web Application Developer. This position will focus an improving tangible <br />management tools far eGovernment. <br />Todd Jones said that with the addition of the Business Analyst in January, they have made a lot <br />of planning progress for the web redevelopment project. They engaged with the UNC School of <br />Information and Library Sciences to conduct a course to better understand information needs. <br />They have a good idea of how to architect the website and how the information will be much <br />easier to find. They are also engaging with the state to see if there could be a partnership. <br />They are still lacking in someone to implement the technology. <br />