A telehealth tool developed by the Houston Fire Department (HFD) may soon be distributed nationwide after the Houston City Council established a for-profit corporation to sell the system to other governments.

The Emergency Telehealth and Navigation (ETHAN) system is designed to reduce unnecessary ambulance transport. When EMTs respond to an emergency call that doesn’t require hospitalization, ETHAN connects patients to physicians via video link, directing them to more appropriate healthcare resources, such as clinics.

"It saves the EMS system in terms of time and effort and money, it saves the patient money, and it generally gets them more appropriate healthcare in sometimes even faster order than had they gone to the emergency department," said David Persse, EMS Physician Director for HFD.

Over the past decade, more than 37,000 patients have utilized ETHAN, saving an average of 44 minutes per EMS call and a total of $22 million for the ambulance system since 2014.

Previously funded by grants, ETHAN’s financial support is set to expire in February 2025. The City Council's recent approval of the ETHAN Local Government Corporation will enable the sale of the tool to other municipalities.

"By providing this service to surrounding communities, and really communities across Texas, that opens the door for us to be able to make it available to other communities and also generate its own income so that it won’t need to be taxpayer-supported in the future," Persse noted.

HFD Chief Thomas Muñoz emphasized the necessity of ETHAN as a "force multiplier," especially as the department faces a shortfall of 600 firefighters.

"This is something that will definitely put us at the next level for the care that the residents deserve," Muñoz told the Public Safety Committee.

City Council Member Julian Ramirez expressed caution, stating, "This is a startup and it comes with the risks that accompany all startups — namely, there’s no revenue, no customers at this point."

Despite concerns, projections suggest ETHAN will reach positive cash flow within three years, with profits exceeding $9 million by year five.