A paramedic at the door: How Columbus is rethinking 911 for repeat callers

COLUMBUS, Ga. — Columbus Fire and EMS sends a community paramedic to the homes of some residents who call 911 repeatedly and don’t always need an ambulance ride. The program is called Columbus Correct Care.Community paramedic Jonathan Laughlin oversees it.“It’s a nontraditional way of EMS, but it’s a way to address the high utilization of 911, how we can combat those frequent calls to the same individuals over and over, being able to expose them to the available resources,” Laughlin said.By the numbersAccording to Columbus Fire and EMS, as of Oct. 31:Paramedics have visited 358 addresses since the program began in February 2025: 186 in 2025 and 172 so far in 2026.They have made 1,103 visits: 580 in 2025 and 523 so far in 2026.Referrals for patient care and resources rose from 43 in 2025 to 127 so far in 2026.Columbus Fire and EMS has seen a 64% decrease in calls for patients who agreed to join the eight- to 16-week program.Correct Care estimates an operational savings of $894 for every