Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery.

The federal government sent Lexington County Emergency Management Services a huge compliment this year.

5 years ago, Lexington EMS implemented an innovative idea.

They collaborated with the 5 Lexington Urgent Care Centers in Batesburg-Leesville, Chapin, Irmo, Lexington and Swansea.

The plan was to transport patients who could be treated at their sites in far less time than driving them to the Emergency Room in West Columbia.

The Urgent Care Centers were often closer than driving the 20-30 miles to the hospital. This could save lives, time and gas to get patients the care they needed quickly.

This seemed like a win-win situation for all involved.

But that’s not how Washington saw it.

“To treat the patients at the closest, more appropriate facility made too much sense for the feds, who shut us down and stopped all Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements,” said EMS Chief Brian Hood.

They required all patients to go to the hospital emergency room.

Washington now has changed its mind.

They have announced a program called ET3.

Their brand new idea is to treat patients at the appropriate level facility and reduce operating costs.

“How innovative of them,” said Hood.

They want Lexington County EMS to pilot their new program.

“Locally, we could see reductions in operating accounts such as for fuel, and maintenance on vehicles as we could lower miles driven in some cases. These reductions will be much smaller in comparison to centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services benefit,” said Lexington County spokesperson Harrison Cahill.

“Our service is extremely busy, and as such, the true benefit here will be the capacity to respond to more calls, more efficiently, and help to improve response times to all emergencies.”

Now the county plans to resume the life and cost saving program the Washington bureaucrats originally nixed.