The fire department has implemented a new policy that will likely increase the number of patients transported to hospitals via private ambulance service.

The change, which is unrelated to the discontinuation of on-call visits at the Franciscan clinic, went into effect last week, said George Brown, the acting interim fire chief at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR).

“The purpose of the policy is efficient use of staffing and avoiding a lack of staffing for the next call,” he said.

With the new guidelines in place, VIFR personnel will transfer some medically stable patients to a private ambulance company at the ferry dock. The new guidelines, Brown said, apply to patients being involuntarily committed and those requiring detox, as well as law enforcement transports, occasions when there is insufficient staffing to respond to another call and at the last ferry sailing of the night. Transports to hospitals out of the area will also be done by a private ambulance.

While VIFR transports people for no cost, Brown noted that private ambulances do charge, and insurance typically only covers a portion of the cost. At Tri-Med Ambulance, a private Kent-based company with whom VIFR frequently works, Supervisor Matt Gau said rides can vary from $600 to $900 without insurance coverage. While “Cadillac” policies cover 100 percent of an ambulance trip, he said, more typically policies cover about 80 percent.

Brown stressed the new policy covers only people who are medically stable. Paramedics, who are trained to provide a high level of emergency medical care, will continue to transport patients that require advanced life support services.