Providing your own ER transport vs calling an ambulance

[KnitWit]

:iagree: And I think it is a good Public Service Announcement. Too many times we fail to think in a crisis. It's hard for many people to keep a level head in an emergency, so reminders like this are a very good thing.

 

Thank you, Audrey, for *getting me*. :)

[Carrie12345]

I would certainly call 911 for certain things, but the one time I did definitely did not work out in my favor. It was the hospital's fault, not the ambulance's, but that is why I now choose (whenever I deem reasonable) to not only drive myself, but to drive 30 miles or more (depending on whether it's for me or the kids) PAST the hospital an ambulance would be forced to take me to!

[BarbecueMom]

This happens all.the.time.

 

You would be shocked to know what some people call 911 for.

 

Oh my goodness, I dispatched police/EMS/fire before having kids. I still remember the frequent flyers. And it's amazing how well we knew these people. One woman called at least once a week because she was bored and the medics had to be nice to her. One time, she called (again...) but sounded a bit "off". We told the ambulance crew that this felt more serious than usual, and it was.

 

Anyway, I dispatched in a rural county, and for things like allergic reactions or strokes, some people would call for an ambulance to meet them halfway. The crew would evaluate and either continue the transport or just follow the car back into town. Not a good idea for major injuries or not breathing situations though. They got a helicopter.

[unsinkable]

ER's prioritize based on injury/illness, not how you arrived at the hospital. The EMT alerts the hospital while en route whether they're bringing in an emergent, urgent, or non-urgent patient. If you arrive at the hospital via ambulance with a broken finger, you're going to be waiting hours. LOL

 

And if your "friends" drive your shot up body to the ER and roll you out of the back seat into the doorway, the ER isn't going to make you wait b/c you didn't come in an ambulance.

[lionfamily1999]

Wow. Must everything on this board be turned into something negative? Of COURSE we don't and OF COURSE situations will be different.

 

Of course.

:confused:

It wasn't meant to be snarky or 'negative.' When you live in an area where amublance transportation is iffy at best then dialing 911 can be the worst thing you do. Sometimes you have to suck it up and, as the other poster wrote, call ahead for them to meet you on the way.

 

People forget this all the time. The people in the hive live in a wide array of areas. One size does not fit all. That's all.

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

DS drank a bottle of Tylenol once upon a time (he was 2 & figured out the chair, the cabinet, the cap...). We called poison control and headed to the ER. Poison control called the ER and they were waiting for us.

 

So I think that sometimes there can be a balance: "Hey - we're having this emergency and we're heading out NOW. Can you tell County General we're on our way?"

 

Or do they not do that any longer?

 

 

a

 

Same situation, except it was my first who had just started standing up and I left tylenol pm without a lid on my nightstand. Yeah, icredibly naive and careless no matter how sleep deprived I was. called pc and they called ahead an the er was expecting us. Worst two days of my life. Ds is fine now.

Edited May 27, 2011 by JENinOR

[Parrothead]

LOL, okay, but I am still shocked at what some people call 911 for :001_smile:.

Oh, it is amazing. When training (doing ride alongs) for first responder training I went on calls for upset stomach, headache, need a ride to the hospital, and there was this drunk guy...

 

It is truly amazing what lonely people will do for attention.

[JFSinIL]

Long ago, when I was very preg. with dd and had just put our twin toddlers to bed, hubby cut his hand wide open on a broken jar. I slapped a maxipad on it (hey, it is absorbent, right?) and called 911. The paramedics came, liked the pad, wrapped the hand and told hubby if he could drive himself one-handed to the ER for stitches he'd say the $75 fee we'd otherwise be charged for the ambulance ride. So he drove himself (I had no one to watch the toddlers - the neighbors had the flu.)

[cathmom]

It wasn't meant to be snarky or 'negative.' When you live in an area where amublance transportation is iffy at best then dialing 911 can be the worst thing you do. Sometimes you have to suck it up and, as the other poster wrote, call ahead for them to meet you on the way.

 

People forget this all the time. The people in the hive live in a wide array of areas. One size does not fit all. That's all.

 

I live in a rural area, and the time I mentioned earlier when I was bleeding out from a miscarriage, dh called 911 and TOLD them we needed an ambulance. He was really livid when the paramedic got here in a pickup truck. He walked into the bathroom, saw the blood loss (we were saving the blood because I was obsessive about not flushing my baby, so we knew that I had already lost quite a lot of blood), and immediately called and told them to send an ambulance. In fairness, I don't know if this was policy (cost-saving measure perhaps?) or if he just got here first. Anyway, he saw that I was already in shock and immediately started IVs, and when the ambulance got here they transported me and dh followed in our car. In that instance, I do think it was better that we called an ambulance even though dh could have gotten me to the hospital before the ambulance did.

[Mommy22alyns]

When I had my serious bleed while pregnant with Sylvia, I was lying on the floor in the hallway BEGGING DH to call 911. DH insisted that we drive into the city to our chosen hospital (and the best birthing hospital in the area). The drive was about 45 min. I'm grateful that we pulled through, but if we hadn't.... I fully realize what a risk we took, but it was a tough decision. The hospital in town would not have been able to care as well for a preemie if it had come to that (and it nearly did).

[ocelotmom]

It's a debate here. Since the ambulances dispatch from the hospital, driving to the hospital is going to take roughly the same amount of time as the ambulance arriving here, and that's assuming the ambulance is able to leave immediately and doesn't get confused with another road with a similar name or anything like that. There's no stoplights and little chance of significant traffic in between (situations where an ambulance would be helpful).

 

If we did drive, I would call the hospital on the way with whatever information I could give so that they'd be ready.

 

If I believed something was a life-threatening emergency, the cost of an ambulance would not be a factor in the decision.

[gingersmom]

I wanted to mention this separately because I don't want to appear that I am scolding RoughCollie for her call on this, but it is not usually best to provide your own transport even if you think you can drive faster because there are life-saving methods that an EMT crew can apply en route that may make all the difference in the world. Sometimes, every second counts when it comes to meds and treatments. Even if not a matter of life and death, again, things can be started in route that minimize permanent damage.

 

I want to stress that I am NOT making a judgment on RoughCollie's decision for *her* situation about which I know *no* details such as distance, etc. I have relatives who work this job and have heard sad stories of things that could have been avoided had people not chosen to self-transport. I think that in emergency situations, it is natural think of "getting there fast" rather than "getting HELP fast". Calling 911 gets you *help* fast.

 

Okay, that is my unsolicited public service advice for the year. :)

 

Thanks for the reminder.

 

Our volunteer ambulance is about 2 minutes from my house. I have had to call on them twice and they have been amazing. It is staffed by volunteers who are just incredible. Their services are free so I always follow up with a donation.

 

I never hesitate to call 911 or the police or whoever is going to get me help the fastest. I don't have time to think about how much this is going to cost me. I worry about that later.

[lionfamily1999]

I live in a rural area, and the time I mentioned earlier when I was bleeding out from a miscarriage, dh called 911 and TOLD them we needed an ambulance. He was really livid when the paramedic got here in a pickup truck. He walked into the bathroom, saw the blood loss (we were saving the blood because I was obsessive about not flushing my baby, so we knew that I had already lost quite a lot of blood), and immediately called and told them to send an ambulance. In fairness, I don't know if this was policy (cost-saving measure perhaps?) or if he just got here first. Anyway, he saw that I was already in shock and immediately started IVs, and when the ambulance got here they transported me and dh followed in our car. In that instance, I do think it was better that we called an ambulance even though dh could have gotten me to the hospital before the ambulance did.

We have first responders, because it takes so long for Rescue to get to most places. They show up with a tackle box of medical tools and their pick-up. I'm not sure if it's a rule that you need a pick-up to be a first responder, or if only people who drive pick-ups volunteer for it, but I've never seen a first responder in a car.

 

:grouphug:

 

I'm glad you got the care that was necessary, before it was too late.

[cathmom]

 

I'm glad you got the care that was necessary, before it was too late.

 

Thanks! :grouphug:

[Mergath]

We live 20 minutes from the hospital. It takes an ambulance 20-30 minutes to get here, 15 minute to stabilize and load the patient, and 20 minutes to get to the hospital.

 

As an epileptic who has severe, often fifteen minute long grand mals, I've been in more ambulances than I can count (and I was usually conscious when they arrived, since people don't call for me until after ten minutes has passed) and I don't recall it ever taking fifteen minutes to get me loaded. I've seen others loaded on too, and it's never taken that long. Unless you're bleeding to death right there, they show up, ask a couple questions, and on you go.

[mompotter]

It all depends on the situation. A friend saved her dd's life by driving her. If she would have waited for the ambulance she would have died before they got there. The ER doc said she made the right call.

[lionfamily1999]

As an epileptic who has severe, often fifteen minute long grand mals, I've been in more ambulances than I can count (and I was usually conscious when they arrived, since people don't call for me until after ten minutes has passed) and I don't recall it ever taking fifteen minutes to get me loaded. I've seen others loaded on too, and it's never taken that long. Unless you're bleeding to death right there, they show up, ask a couple questions, and on you go.

That must be a 'depends on where you live,' because I've never seen someone loaded immediately. My dad went into a sugar coma and they spent twenty minutes in the living room reviving him. Granted, he ended up not going ;) but they never even brought the stretcher in. Dh's grampa went by ambulance twice when his breathing was compromised, but they still spent at least ten minutes asking questions, getting his perscriptions, trying various remedies to see if the hospital was really necessary (I'd have thought the blue lips would qualify). The next two times it happened we took the car, because he could get care faster.

[Virg]

I have done it both ways. At our old house we had a windy gravel rode and lived 20 min out of town. When I would call 9-1-1 it went to the county's sheriff office and then they had to contact the closest city's fire station (all our ambulances operate out of our fire stations). I could have my son in the ER before they even ARRIVED at my house since the road was so windy, narrow and gravel. (I am a country driver though and can go down it in no time :)) Plus since it was always an emergency with a child who had a very low O2 percentage I never waited and usually wasn't even triaged. Just run up to the front desk and tell them we own a pulse oximeter it was --% righ now and everyone starts running. lol. Even in the huge hospital in Portland when they see a child who is turning blue or is only satting at 65% they won't make you wait.

 

I have also met the ambulances when we were needing to go to the children's hospital an hour away. Once I am inside big city lines would call 9-1-1. Then i have gotten him to an ambulance quickly through the middle of nowhere and he can be cared for and get through big city traffic the rest of the way

 

We have waited for the ambulance when my dad had a stroke (he is a big guy!) and also for head injuries though. If I had no idea what the problem was I might wait for the ambulance too. Ours is predictable most of the time and know how it should be handled. I have heard of a lot of times though when people have driven family members to the ER where I think oh my I would have called an ambulance!

[RoughCollie]

As an epileptic who has severe, often fifteen minute long grand mals, I've been in more ambulances than I can count (and I was usually conscious when they arrived, since people don't call for me until after ten minutes has passed) and I don't recall it ever taking fifteen minutes to get me loaded. I've seen others loaded on too, and it's never taken that long. Unless you're bleeding to death right there, they show up, ask a couple questions, and on you go.

 

Not here. The EMT's are not the best-trained. When I had a heart attack, they showed up in 30 minutes. They talked to me. They talked to each other. That took 10 minutes, at least, b/c I was wondering what the hold up was. Then they put me in the ambulance and we spent another 10 minutes in the driveway while they tried unsuccessfully to put in an IV and did an EKG and took my blood pressure, etc. Then they pulled over a little ways from my house and tried to put in an IV again. Then they got on the four lane and a paramedic decided to try again even though they usually don't do that when the ambulance is in motion. This time, they got the IV in.

 

One of the EMT's was talking to the hospital the whole time.

 

While I was in the hospital waiting for the cath lab staff and doctor to come back to the hospital, the ER doc instructed the EMTs on how to read the EKG results because I really was having a heart attack. The EMTs were very grateful for the instruction, and thanked the doctor.

 

Two ambulances showed up on that call because the ambulance company out here is known for not being real good at handling heart attacks. One of the paramedics from the other company rode in the ambulance with our guys, and the other ambulance followed us. That was the guy trying to get the IV in.

 

When I got the bill from the other ambulance company, I called them, and that is the information I was told about why they responded to the call.

 

I have had to call an ambulance when we lived near Boston, and that was an entirely different story -- everything happened quickly and efficiently, and the ambulance arrived in 3 minutes, not 30.

Edited May 27, 2011 by RoughCollie

[Mergath]

That must be a 'depends on where you live,' because I've never seen someone loaded immediately. My dad went into a sugar coma and they spent twenty minutes in the living room reviving him. Granted, he ended up not going ;) but they never even brought the stretcher in. Dh's grampa went by ambulance twice when his breathing was compromised, but they still spent at least ten minutes asking questions, getting his perscriptions, trying various remedies to see if the hospital was really necessary (I'd have thought the blue lips would qualify). The next two times it happened we took the car, because he could get care faster.

 

I suppose it depends on the situation, too. In cases where the person is conscious and talking when the EMTs arrive, a lot less needs to be done before they can be whisked off to their backless gown and jello cups. ;)

[lionfamily1999]

I suppose it depends on the situation, too. In cases where the person is conscious and talking when the EMTs arrive, a lot less needs to be done before they can be whisked off to their backless gown and jello cups. ;)

At that point in time Fredericksburg only had one emergency room :glare: The trip there was almost an hour and er wait........... endless. There was no whisking there.

 

It does depend on a lot. I suppose one response doesn't fit all situations :D

[Nestof3]

We took our son to the closest hospital for treatment after jumping out of a tree and landing on his head. He acted fine, but we wanted to make sure.

 

After tests and $1,000 worth of ER bills, they sent him by Med Transport to the children's hospital. They wanted the ER doc there to look at the scans.

 

After the same questions (including if we have any pets :confused:), the doctor to look at scans wasn't even there. He was at home. So, we waited two hours for them to email the scans to him so he could tell us our son was fine.

 

Med transport was $800. The second ER visit of $700 -- he was fine.

 

I would gladly have driven him 15 minutes had I known the transport cost. He seemed perfectly fine.

 

I agree, though, that many cases require ambulances. We have volunteer ambulances. But, they don't transport between hospitals.

Edited May 27, 2011 by nestof3

[Nestof3]

I do think *some* weight is given to your method of arrival. I had to take dh to the ER on his doc's orders several years ago, and a man was sitting there with chest pain/possible heart attack. He'd driven himself in and been waiting **8 hours.** (And the ER didn't appear to be overflowing or anything!) DH's doc had made arrangements for him and we whisked right into a bed--I almost felt that we should have given it to the other man! (DH wasn't in pain or trouble at the moment but he did have a heart cath the next day followed by a triple by-pass the day after that.)

 

In the long run, I'd rather pay the bill than wonder if my loved one would have been better off in the ambulance.

 

I came in extremely tachycardic by vehicle, and I was seen right away. My mom was taken by ambulance for coughing up blood, and she waited. From my exp., people are seen based on urgency.

 

It would help if ERs were actually for emergency cases rather than just treating coughs and such. We have so many clinics around here that can take care of sutures, broken appendages, coughs, etc.

[KnitWit]

I live in a rural area, and the time I mentioned earlier when I was bleeding out from a miscarriage, dh called 911 and TOLD them we needed an ambulance. He was really livid when the paramedic got here in a pickup truck. He walked into the bathroom, saw the blood loss (we were saving the blood because I was obsessive about not flushing my baby, so we knew that I had already lost quite a lot of blood), and immediately called and told them to send an ambulance. In fairness, I don't know if this was policy (cost-saving measure perhaps?) or if he just got here first. Anyway, he saw that I was already in shock and immediately started IVs, and when the ambulance got here they transported me and dh followed in our car. In that instance, I do think it was better that we called an ambulance even though dh could have gotten me to the hospital before the ambulance did.

 

We live rural in a county with no big city. This is common here. They will dispatch an ambulance, but the closest First Responder will jump in their vehicle and come and they seem to carry all they need with them. When my neighbor down the road was in need of transport, the first responder loaded her in his vehicle and drove to meet the ambulance.

 

From what I've heard/seen, our county EMT's seem to be good about NOT transporting unnecessarily. They will do what they can and tell you to get there yourself if that is the case. Maybe it's just out of the goodness of their hearts.