For many families, a medical scare can feel urgent long before it becomes a true emergency. That is part of what makes New Braunfels’ new RightSite program worth watching. The City of New Braunfels and the New Braunfels Fire Department said this week that RightSite began being offered on April 10 during certain calls for service, giving some patients a new way to connect in real time with care that may be more appropriate than an emergency room trip.

The idea is straightforward, but the local impact could be significant. When the situation allows, RightSite can help connect patients to a telehealth doctor visit from home, urgent care, assistance scheduling a primary care appointment, specialist referrals or behavioral health services. City leaders say the goal is twofold: help residents navigate the healthcare system more effectively and preserve emergency response capacity for the calls that truly require it.

Why the RightSite Launch Matters in New Braunfels

The city said the New Braunfels Fire Department responded to more than 14,600 calls for service in 2025, a reminder of how often EMS crews are needed across the community. Not every 911 call ends with a condition that requires transport to an emergency room, and city officials are positioning RightSite as a way to better match patients with the level of care they actually need.

That matters for residents in practical ways. For someone dealing with a non-life-threatening issue, avoiding an unnecessary ER visit can mean faster guidance, less disruption and a clearer path to follow-up care. For the broader community, it can also mean ambulances and emergency personnel remain available for cardiac events, severe injuries, fires and other high-priority situations.

Fire Chief Ruy Lozano said the department’s goal is helping residents receive “the right care at the right time,” while also keeping emergency units available for other emergencies. That framing gets at the heart of what RightSite is intended to do: treat emergency response and healthcare access as connected parts of the same public-safety system.

What RightSite Offers During Certain EMS Calls

According to the city, RightSite is a healthcare navigation and telehealth service that can be used during certain EMS calls when a patient may be better served by another care setting. Those options include telehealth at home, redirection to urgent care, help scheduling with a primary care provider, specialist referrals and behavioral health services. The program is not described as a replacement for emergency care, but as a tool to direct eligible patients toward the most appropriate next step.

City officials also pointed to results from other communities already using RightSite. In those areas, the city said the program has seen a 93% patient acceptance rate, with about 84% of eligible cases successfully redirected to more appropriate non-emergency care settings. The release said those outcomes are associated with fewer unnecessary hospital transports, better medical adherence, reduced readmissions and healthier communities overall.

For New Braunfels, the expectation is that fewer avoidable transports and broader access to care could improve operational efficiency for the fire department and strengthen its ability to respond when the stakes are highest. In a fast-growing city where demand on public services continues to evolve, that is likely to resonate with residents who want both strong emergency response and more practical healthcare options close to home.

How the Launch Fits into the City’s Broader Goals

City Manager Robert Camareno described the service as “a forward-thinking approach” and said it supports the Community Wellbeing goal in the City of New Braunfels 2024-2029 Strategic Plan. In the city’s framing, RightSite is not just a new EMS feature. It is also part of a larger effort to improve quality of life by expanding access to services that support residents’ health and well-being.

That broader context may be why this announcement stands out. For residents, the launch is not only about what happens during an emergency call. It is also about what happens after that moment of uncertainty, when people need answers, appointments, referrals and a realistic plan for care. RightSite appears designed to make that next step easier to navigate, while helping the city use its emergency resources more efficiently.

New Braunfels residents who want more information can learn more through the New Braunfels Fire Department. As the program begins rolling out during certain calls, it will likely become one more way the city tries to balance rapid emergency response with the everyday healthcare needs of a growing community. Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more local updates that affect New Braunfels families and neighborhoods.

By Johnny Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Johnny Krenek has been connected to community news since childhood, growing up alongside the family business his parents founded—Krenek Printing. Today, he serves as Vice President and lead developer for My Neighborhood News, where he drives the digital experience and supports the team across a variety of technical and operational roles. He is passionate about building tools that help connect neighbors and strengthen communities.