Medical Transportation Vs. EMS

[x635 4,066]

Should EMS and Medical Transportation Be One In The Same?

For instance, we all know about BLS NON-911 transports. Is it really neccesary for most of these people to have an ambulance, or will an ambulette with a stretcher do?

Does medical transportation dilute EMS's image, and should it be associated with EMS?

I realize it's a moneymaker, but I personally feel that Medical Transportation and Emergency Medical Services should and could be two completly seperate and distinct things, for the benefit of both.

And with O2 being so freely used nowadays, is there any reason why a "Medical Transportation Technician" can't be made, and a stretcher van created- and put the EMT's and ambulances on the streets where they belong?

I know this would require a lot of change, lobbying, and legislation, but everything starts somewhere.

ALS and Critical Care transports for the most part, I agree with being EMS.

[nycemt728 49]

I agree wholeheartedly. Anyonw who has ever take a private ambulance knows what the real deal is. Every time I see a private screaming down the street harder, louder and faster than a 911 bus going to a MI, I wonder, what are they REALLY going to, do they really need to do that? I agree that the image of EMS suffers, we truly become the ambulance driver, not the EMT who went through months of training.

I don't know how such a movement would start, but I agree it would take alot of work. Just as we designed wheelchair vans, we can design a stretcher van w/ o2 capabilities; no lights, no sirens.

[paratrooper75 41]

I agree. I have done my share of BLS transports and most of them are taxi rides. Most the people that I have taken only needed the ambulance because they were debilitated in some way where they couldn't sit in a wheelchair or "bed bound". I can't even count how many people walked out and sat on the stretcher. They do make stretcher ambulettes now but why would an ambulance company buy them when they can get insurance companies to approve ambulances for ten times as much money. A $50 ambulette trip costs about $450 if it went by ambulance. It comes down to ems being a business. Fire and police are emergency services usually municipal and paid for through taxes and the government. EMS is a business with private companies penny pinching there reputation into the ground. Until that changes EMS will always be the way it is.

[Guest]

I think that you have a good idea goin Seth, but it will forever be a moot point. Private ambulance companies make their bread and butter from transports. The "911" part of their company is simply P.R. and a way to further expand their transport divisions into those areas even more.

In Montreal, there are "Medical Transport Technician's" and they run exactly as how you described it. Their vans have no lights or sirens, but accommodate a stretcher and O2. That's because all of EMS in Canada is run uniformly and through the government. Private companies cannot hold stakes in 911 service.

It's a catch 22 guys.

[paratrooper75 41]

That's because all of EMS in Canada is run uniformly and through the government. Private companies cannot hold stakes in 911 service.

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Thats the way it should be. Medics and EMT's should have the same pay and benefits as firefighters and police officers. $20 an hour top pay with no pension and mediocre benefits is horrible compared to other civil service jobs. Again why would cities raise taxes and fund there own EMS when they can hire a private company for less money. I would love to stay a paramedic the rest of my life its just not practical.

Sorry to go off on a tangent here but I needed to rant a little on this issue.

Edited June 13, 2007 by paratrooper75

[Guest]

I work for a private company and I agree with most all that is said here. Most of the time we are either slinging lizards back and forth to the raisin farm or running hospital discharges...a.k.a. "Paying the bills." I do run a fair amount of SCTU runs from NJ hospitals to NYC and we also run 911 calls for several communities that can't staff their vollie squads during the day. For us, we're not just a transport company. Not a company line, just setting a reference point.

On more then one occasion, have had routine runs at a long term care facilities turn into ALS runs because of one reason or another. I'm happy to have had a properly equipped ambulance and not just a transport van when this happens.

I absolutely agree that red lights and sirens are abused and there are some folks who should never be allowed to drive vehicles equipped with them...this is not limited to EMS either! I don't think that just because you got your EMT ticket yesterday, you should be attending to a "patient" today.

Sure, money and benefits could be better...but we currently operate as a non-union shop. I could crank on this all night....but my soap box is not equipped with a safety restraint. Next....

[Oswegowind 17]

I agree also, there are way too many ambulances out there and no one knows which ones are really for emergencies!

PetPeeveSection:

I can't stand seeing Lifeline, Senior Care, and TransCare coming blaring into St. Joes in Yonkers on a regular basis. I work at 911 and I know you did not respond to a true medical emergency so why do you continue to ridicule the Star of Life and EMS names on your ambulance. GROW UP!

Of course ridding the world of a few "Ambulance" services may help!!!!!

[trauma74 111]

Years ago I worked for Elliott's Ambulance Service (now defunct) in Middletown, NY. We had one ambulette that was set up to hold a stretcher. The stretcher was a true one man type. It was common practice to transport patients that were on O2. The company was more about transports then EMS. The only good contract we had was the Orange County Fairgrounds and the Speedway. We got to see all the dirt track races and the concerts for free.

The company was not even ALS. BLS only. I remember getting flagged down for an accident by NYSP. Since there was not any serious injuries, we waited for the local VAC to arrive on scene. They took the patient to the ER and we remained on scene treating one of the drivers for a minor hand injury. We were late getting to our next transport and our boss was on the radio telling us to step it up and get to the medical facility. The next day we got reemed by the Owner because we used supplies off of the ambulance and we did not transport. The Owner said "You cost me $450 by not taking the driver to ER and you cost me for the supplies you used to treat the hand injury" We were also told "Next time, you either transport or you leave the scene and get going to your transport".....This only shows a little bit of how much of an A**HOLE the owner was.

I am a firm believer that EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES should be provided by the municipalities just like PD and FD. There should be laws put in place that state that Private "AMBULANCE" services should not be permitted to respond to 911 calls.

Along with that, all EMS Agencies should be unionized!