JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is responding to a new telehealth report from the Duval DOGE Committee, raising concerns about the feasibility of the RightSite program.
The report, which supports expanding services through RightSite Health, was first reported by Action News Jax’s Ben Becker on Monday and was released on Tuesday.
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JFRD said vendor performance has been inconsistent, pointing to multiple canceled training sessions that have slowed implementation efforts.
READ FULL JFRD STATEMENT BELOW:
According to the department, a core issue lies in the gap between telehealth services and public expectations during emergencies. When people call 911, they typically expect immediate, in-person medical care.
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Officials say the RightSite model represents a significant shift from that expectation and could lead to confusion without extensive public education.
JFRD also highlighted operational challenges, including limited service hours, technological barriers for patients, and workflow complications for first responders.
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The program currently operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday, which does not align with the department’s 24/7 emergency response model.
In addition, JFRD addressed concerns raised about its medical director, Dr. Bradley Elias.
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The department stated that ethics officials and the city’s Office of General Counsel previously reviewed and cleared Elias of any conflict of interest in December related to his role as an emergency room physician at Baptist Hospital.
DOGE raised concerns about his role in the report, seemingly unaware of the previous review.
City pushes back on DOGE findings
Meanwhile, the City of Jacksonville is pushing back against the broader findings of the Duval DOGE Committee, which in a draft report criticized the city’s current telehealth provider, Telescope Health.
The report claims the city is wasting approximately $2 million annually on the program and suggests similar services could be obtained for free through RightSite Health.
City Councilman Rory Diamond, who led the investigation, questioned the city’s role in healthcare delivery.
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“I don’t think it’s the city’s job to be involved in people’s health care,” Diamond said.
The committee also explored allegations that Telescope Health may have committed Medicare or Medicaid fraud, though the report ultimately found no proof to support those claims.
The city also points out the Telescope Health contract was awarded through an open RFP process that received three competitive bids, which RightSite Health did not participate.
Conflict of interest?
The city is also raising issues involving city council hiring the Burr & Forman law firm to review the city’s telehealth options. Former general counsel Jason Gabriel is a partner and worked on behalf of the RightSite Health on its agreement with JFRD.
According to invoices obtained by Action News Jax, Gabriel’s law firm billed the city $37,831 for work on the DOGE report.
The mayor’s office describes Gabriel’s role as a “glaring conflict of interest.”
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The city also references Becker’s reporting that former JEA board chair Bobby Stein and former Chief of Staff Kurt Wilson were offered equity stakes in RightSite Health.
It’s unclear if Wilson accepted, but according to Gabriel, who now represents Stein, said in a statement “All reporting of financial interests required of Mr. Stein were done so in accordance with the law.”
What comes next
The Duval DOGE Committee has indicated it may attempt to defund the Telescope Health contract in the future. Members voted to revise the draft and submit a final report at a later date.
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