Rapid response initiatives treated over 800 people in the Midwest in their own homes last year.
New data released by HSE Midwest shows more than half of the patients referred to National Ambulance Service schemes received hospital standard care without having to be admitted to the emergency department.
In total, 838 of the 1,445 patients who contacted either the Pathfinder or the Alternative Prehospital-care Pathway services were cared for without having to present at University Hospital Limerick.
This means 58% of those requiring care from either programme avoided a trip to the emergency department at UHL.
The Pathfinder service responds to patients aged 65 or older who contact emergency services in the Midwest.
Of the 506 calls referred to Pathfinder in 2024, 329 people received treatment from crews, meaning 65% avoided a visit to the ED.
The Alternative Prehospital-care Pathway meanwhile is available to patients who require less intensive forms of treatment after contacting emergency services.
Operating from the National Ambulance Service base in Dooradoyle, the team fielded 939 calls throughout the course of 2024.
505 of these calls were supported by APP crews, keeping 53.7% of these patients out of the emergency department and keeping ambulance crews free for more critically ill or injured patients.
