Ambulance Patient Offload Times

Ambulance patient offload times — how long it takes for a patient arriving at a hospital via ambulance to be transferred to an emergency department — are a challenge in many counties in California. Some factors contributing to longer offload times include the physical layout of a hospital, current unprecedented patient volume, increased acuity of patients’ illness or injury, and more. Challenges in the Emergency Department only continue to grow, further straining limited emergency services, and forcing us all to think about how to adapt to a changing world.

To address this issue and best serve patients, hospitals partner with their local emergency medical services agencies (LEMSAs), as well as the state regulator, the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) to create innovative solutions to the APOT challenge.

APOT Reduction Protocol

Assembly Bill (AB) 40 Implementation

In 2023, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 40, requiring hospitals to submit APOT reduction protocols by September 1, 2024. CHA has developed a checklist to help members meet this requirement.

Download the checklist

AB 40 Regulations

EMSA convened an AB 40 workgroup in September 2024. CHA participated and is awaiting EMSA’s release of regulations.

APOT Talking Points

Information in support of the Dec. 11 California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) Commission meeting where updated statewide and individual APOT data was discussed.

The release of this data could prompt inquiries to hospitals from local EMSAs or the media. CHA has created Talking Points for hospitals that would like to respond. Should hospitals receive inquiries related to state policy, please send them to Sheree Lowe, vice president, policy, at slowe@calhospital.org, or Savannah Tapia, policy associate, at stapia@calhospital.org.