Case Study: Austin-Travis County EMS eliminates 434 unnecessary transports in 3 weeks and improves low-acuity care with Pulsara

Austin-Travis County EMS Leverages Pulsara in Successful ET3 Program

Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) needed a fast, scalable way to triage patients during COVID-19 surges—distinguishing who truly required emergency department care while protecting providers and preserving hospital capacity. To meet that challenge, ATCEMS created the C4 (Collaborative Care Communication) unit and adopted Pulsara, a healthcare communication, telehealth, and logistics platform, to improve remote coordination, alert hospitals, and support medics working in heavy PPE.

Using Pulsara, the C4 team shifted focus to low-acuity, treatment-in-place options: connecting on-scene medics with physicians via live group video, dispatching advanced clinicians for procedures, and arranging alternative transports or community resources with one touch. The approach kept 154 patients out of the hospital in the first five days and eliminated 434 unnecessary transports within three weeks; ATCEMS now manages over 100 Pulsara-enabled telehealth calls weekly, reducing ED burden and improving patient-centered care.

Austin-Travis County EMS

Stephen White

Commander