The new math behind Denver Health response times

Time is of the essence at Denver Health. The Denver City Council's finance committee yesterday approved a one-year, $51.9 million operating agreement with the Denver Health and Hospital Authority -- with one significant change over the previous contract: Denver Health has agreed to peg ambulance response times to when an...

By Michael Roberts

November 20, 2008

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Time is of the essence at Denver Health.

The Denver City Council's finance committee yesterday approved a one-year, $51.9 million operating agreement with the Denver Health and Hospital Authority -- with one significant change over the previous contract: Denver Health has agreed to peg ambulance response times to when an emergency call comes in. As Jared Jacang Maher reported five months ago in "Delayed Emergency Response," Denver Health had been calculating response times from when an ambulance was dispatched. And in emergency situations, delays can be deadly. -- Patricia Calhoun

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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