EMT's/Ambulance jockeys

[systemnt]

What percentage (best guess) would you say of the calls you go on, didn't really require the services of an ambulance call?
(and what were those types of calls?)

[kfd82]

80% of EMS calls do not require an ambulance. (My guesstimation)

Most of those ARE injuries or illnesses, but those people can go by car. Either drive themselves or have a family member drive them.
Of that, they fall into two groups. One group just doesnt know any better, and one group calls EMS because they (most of the time) get brought straight into the ER instead of having to wait out in the waiting room.

[Mark44]

not meaning to offend, but I always wonder why they send a fire truck when they send an ambulance? guy has a heart attack at Wally and here comes the ambulance ... and a fire truck. because?

[WildMatt84]

not meaning to offend, but I always wonder why they send a fire truck when they send an ambulance? guy has a heart attack at Wally and here comes the ambulance ... and a fire truck. because?

Because most of the time there are more fire stations than there are ambulance stations around and we can get there quicker. To be a paid firefighter in Texas you must also be an EMT-B at minimum

[kfd82]

not meaning to offend, but I always wonder why they send a fire truck when they send an ambulance? guy has a heart attack at Wally and here comes the ambulance ... and a fire truck. because?

Because most of the time there are more fire stations than there are ambulance stations around and we can get there quicker. To be a paid firefighter in Texas you must also be an EMT-B at minimum

What he said ^^^
Also because if the Pt is in real, actual, no-kidding, trouble a few extra hands are nice!

[Mark44]

works for me! thanks! good to know.

[systemnt]

Of those 80% that call for the service but don't really need it .. how many would you say.. on appearance/experience ..actually pay for the services they get provided (including the rides) ?

[Phi Phi Hunter]

good thread

[kfd82]

Of those 80% that call for the service but don't really need it .. how many would you say.. on appearance/experience ..actually pay for the services they get provided (including the rides) ?

Hard to say. Maybe 1/2 have no insurance at all and of them a few will actually pay the bill or make an effort to anyway.
The other half have private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.

I think the answer to your question really depends on where the service is located. When I worked in Killeen almost everyone had some form of insurance. Military TRI-Care, Medicare, Medicaid, Private Insurance.... maybe 10 or 15 percent of all the Pt's run didnt have any kind of coverage.

When I worked in Galveston we ran a lot of indigent pt's who had no insurance. Same for the Mainland Galveston County. Even certain cities within the county were vastly different.

[flywise]

AGREED 80% dont need an ambulance
I doubt 50% actually pay

[systemnt]

I was listening to talk radio this afternoon...and this subject came up ..(because of some Houston city council vote)..(*doesnt affect me..i dont live in houston) ..and there was talk of solutions to offset the cost of people that use the abulance service as a taxi... and dont have the means/ability/desire to pay... which means we get to pay either with higher taxes, or insurance rates.
There was mention of a fine system... much like when you make a 911 call and repeatedly abuse it... but I cant see how fining someone that cant pay in the first place is going to stop it...they just wouldnt pay the fine either..
.
Just really curious how wide spread that behaviour is.. seems to be abused a lot more than I would have thought...

[bassmatt72]

I have 21 years in Fire and EMS, I work in Temple Texas, my engine averages 8 calls in a 24 hr shift. I believe 80-85% is a good estimate of how many are not true life threating emergancies, and are more of a taxi service.

[NannySlayer]

It is abused more than people realize.

When someone calls 911, a dispatcher answers, if they think they are having a medical emergency, the dispatcher asks a series of questions (this is called EMD- Emergency Medical Dispatch) ie, is the patient breathing? Are they turning blue? Are they bleeding? How far did they fall? Etc. The EMS/Fire crew are then dispatched with a priority-
Priority 1- lights and sirens, life threatening situation (heart attack/stroke/CPR/rollover car wreck)
Priority 2- lights and sirens, but not as severe (like Gma fell down and bleeding from her arm)
Priority 3- no lights, no sirens (throwing up for the past week and stomach hurts)

MedStar in Ft Worth is planning on doing the taxi service as well. MedStar is a busy agency, they can free up a lot of trucks by sending a taxi cab to pick up Gma who can't drive and needs a ride to get her blood pressure checked.

I think it will help and lower the abuse in EMS. I hate to say it but it is true..

[tvc184]

In my city it probably approaches 90%. EMS is usually nothing more than an expensive taxi ride to the hospital for an earache, slightly sprained wrist or the sniffles. While we are on the topic and the fact that they should be riding in a private vehicle, it doesn't help that they are tying up emergency rooms with the common cold or the average headache were otc meds should be used but the combined EMS ride and ER bill will come to $4,000 that someone else will pay for that should cost about 75 cents worth of aspirin.

[systemnt]

Is there any kind of ticket or fine in place for abusing this system?
They are part of the 911 system right?