Manatee County to Incorporate Telehealth Services Into 911 System

MANATEE COUNTY — Manatee County Public Safety has joined forces with public safety telehealth provider MD Ally to improve healthcare for residents and create a stronger and more resilient public safety system. 

This partnership—known as Manatee Telehealth—will help increase the range of services available to 911 dispatchers, allowing them to connect non-emergency callers with a healthcare professional trained in emergency medicine via telehealth. This will enhance healthcare options for the community and improve access to care. 

Beginning June 18, Manatee County Emergency Communicators will now be able to transfer non-emergency medical situations to telehealth professionals in real-time. Trained experts can conduct virtual visits with patients, providing treatment recommendations, prescriptions, transportation to medical facilities, behavioral health support and connections to local community resources from the comfort of their homes.  

Manatee Telehealth services can handle a variety of common 911 call types, including prescription refills, chronic pain, cold and flu symptoms, gastrointestinal issues, skin conditions and migraines. This approach will allow the County to better support patients while freeing up essential Public Safety personnel and ambulances to handle urgent emergencies. 

"We are proud to partner with MD Ally to offer services that meet our community's needs," said Deputy Director of Public Safety James Crutchfield. "This is going to partition off non-emergent calls out of the 911 system to get them connected to a provider." 

Manatee County Public Safety is dedicated to improving outcomes for its residents. The implementation of Manatee Telehealth in 911 dispatch is innovative, and leadership is looking forward to the positive impact it will have on the community.