A new system for answering Triple-0 calls in Tasmania will begin from Monday, in which paramedics and nurses will speak directly with patients to connect them to the appropriate service.
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The secondary triage process - widely used interstate and overseas - is designed to ensure patients receive the right care straight away, in the knowledge that not every call requires a paramedic-led response.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said it would save ambulances and paramedics "for genuine emergency situations".
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"Importantly, if a call is assessed as an emergency requiring an ambulance response, one will be dispatched, just as always," she said.
"Tasmanians can have confidence that secondary triage will not only help people access appropriate medical care, it will also provide better supports for our paramedics, help our resources respond more efficiently to emergencies, as well as avoiding transport to hospital emergency departments when it is not required.
"Further details around the full implementation of secondary triage within Tasmania will be announced in the coming weeks."
The change will be accompanied by a community awareness campaign.