The Growing Need for Efficient Emergency Response

Across the United States, a substantial number of individuals – numbering in the hundreds of thousands daily – contact 911 seeking assistance. While many of these calls genuinely represent critical emergencies demanding immediate attention, a significant portion concern less urgent matters. These can include inquiries regarding prescriptions, anxieties about new symptoms, or general health-related questions.

Upon receiving a request for medical aid, 911 call centers initiate a response protocol. This often involves dispatching ambulances and paramedics, which contributes to escalating costs for both patients and insurance providers. Consider the potential benefits if, instead of deploying costly emergency services to non-emergency situations, call takers were equipped with a tool to direct patients to the appropriate resources.

Introducing MD Ally: A New Approach to 911 Triage

MD Ally is an innovative startup focused on improving 911 call handling. The company’s system triages incoming calls and redirects those deemed non-emergency to suitable telehealth medical services. Recently, MD Ally secured $3.5 million in seed funding, led by Hemant Teneja of General Catalyst, with participation from Tuoyo Louis of Seae Ventures.

Previously, the company had raised $1 million in funding in March of the prior year. This demonstrates strong investor confidence in their solution.

The Founder's Inspiration

Shanel Fields, the CEO and founder of MD Ally, attributes the company’s origins to her personal experiences. “My inspiration stems from my childhood,” she explained, recalling her father’s service as a volunteer EMT on Long Island. This early exposure to healthcare ultimately led her to Athenahealth.

Fields’ thoughts continually returned to the issue of 911 calls and the disparities in response times across different communities. She observed that “regardless of financial status – whether one possesses $5 or $5 million – the same number is dialed.”

However, research revealed a troubling trend: “lower-income and underserved communities experienced higher rates of ‘dead on arrival’ due to extended wait times.” This disparity arose because emergency services often represent the sole healthcare access point in these areas, resulting in a higher volume of 911 calls, many of which could be classified as low priority.

How MD Ally Works

This realization sparked the concept for MD Ally – a system designed to enhance dispatch efficiency. The goal is to prioritize emergency cases and ensure non-emergency calls are effectively routed to improve patient outcomes. The company began development in the fall of 2019, with Kojo DeGraft-Hanson joining as chief product officer.

Fields and DeGraft-Hanson have a longstanding professional relationship, having first connected at Cornell University a decade ago and maintaining contact throughout their respective careers.

MD Ally integrates directly with the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems utilized by 911 operations centers, also known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). When a 911 call is received, call takers assess the medical urgency using the Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch System (AMPDS).

AMPDS provides a standardized method for categorizing calls based on severity. MD Ally has defined a set of codes that allow call takers to confidently redirect appropriate calls to telehealth options.

A Cost-Effective Solution

Importantly, MD Ally’s platform is offered free of charge to financially constrained 911 centers. The company plans to generate revenue through telehealth referral fees and partnerships with insurance companies seeking to reduce emergency medical costs.

Currently, MD Ally is being implemented in centers located in New York and Florida. The company aims to expand its reach to Louisiana, California, and Arizona by the end of the year.

Looking Ahead: Addressing Mental Health Needs

In the long term, MD Ally envisions a role in de-escalating situations involving 911 callers experiencing mental health crises. The company aims to facilitate the dispatch of psychological services instead of law enforcement. “We are deeply committed to providing a diverse range of resources to de-escalate challenging scenarios,” Fields stated.