Disturbing Obstacle Hindering Philadelphia Medics

[Wackerdan]

Thought this would be interesting..............

Reporting

Valerie Levesque PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― A disturbing obstacle could be keeping Philadelphia's medics from doing their jobs. The time tie- up may keep them from rushing to help you in an emergency.

911 means emergency, but tell that to the thousands of people in Philadelphia that are calling about hang nails, colds and stomach aches.

Paramedics who signed on to save lives said their ambulances should not be treated as a taxi cab rides to the hospital.

Trisha Gallagher, a 26-year-old mother of three, was struck and killed by a Philadelphia ambulance crossing the intersection of Castor and Aramingo Avenues in the Port Richmond section of the city last September.

Medic crews were racing to what they thought was an emergency, but it turned out the call was for a man with a rash.

"This medic feels terrible now, that he was going to a guy with a rash on … in his groin area that was there for a few days," said a paramedic who asked not to be identified.

Some paramedics in the city spoke to CBS 3 about 911 calls that are anything but emergencies.

"Tooth aches, rash, I mean people say 'hey I had a rash for three months' and I say why is it an emergency now, 'o look 3 o'clock in the morning the ER's empty," said another paramedic.

"The most ridiculous call I had was an 18-year-old kid who was eating Ramen noodles and the fork got stuck in his mouth. I came there and just pushed it and just popped it right out … absolutely ridiculous, I was like you called us for that," said another paramedic.

"A lot of times people call and you know they have no other ways to get to the hospital, so they call 911 and we become a taxi cab," another paramedic said.

The city's policy is if you call, they haul.

"Each call we take it serious, we don't pick up a call and we feel like it's a stupid call," Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said.

The paramedics CBS 3 spoke to said one of the problems is that dispatchers are not told to prioritize emergency calls, in other words someone having a heart attack gets the same priority as someone who obviously does not have an emergency.

"They are tying up two highly trained paramedics for a guy with a tooth ache, or a hang nail or a bloody nose," explained one paramedic.

"911 is for real emergencies and that's what it means and we would ask the community to continue to educate themselves, continue to understand the importance of 911," Ayers said.

The city said it does not want to deal with potential litigation for not responding to a 911 call that might be bogus.

They also said they are trying to do a better job at making sure the public does not treat ER's as their primary care physicians.

http://cbs3.com/specialreports/Ambulance.9...s.2.626757.html

[DirtyBlackSocks]

They need to start keeping records of addresses and calls. Make up some pamphlets that clearly state what is and isn't an emergecy, along with the number to a taxi cab company and give the people a warning the first time they abuse the Emergecy Response system. Second time should be a hefty fine, like a maximum of $10,000.

That's terrible man, that medic's probably going to need therapy and that ladies kids are scarred for life. All because some clown didn't want to drive.

[spenac]

This is the problem I have ranted about often. I really think the you call we haul deal needs to end. We need to deny transport. But in saying that some of the idiotic things paramedics have done recently ( some discussed this forum ) maybe all we really are educated enough to be is glorified low paid taxi drivers.

[Dustdevil]

LMAO@"highly trained paramedics" in Philly

[paramedicmike]

LMAO@"highly trained paramedics" in Philly

You don't know the half of it! Philly is not a place you want to be and need an ambulance. For that matter, Philly is just a place you want to be period!

To be fair, though, my old partner and one of the best medics I know works there. He is certainly the exception and not the rule, however. Listening to some of the stories he tells me leaves me wondering why he still shows up for his shifts.

The idea of trying to educate the public about what constitutes an emergency or when the should call is not, in itself, a bad idea. The problem lies in the notion that if you make it idiot proof they'll make a better idiot.

Don't think for a second that all these people calling 911 in the City of Philadelphia are calling saying they have a rash or a toothache. Some are, that's true. But many know how to play the system. They know the buzz words...trouble breathing, chest pain, car accident et cetera. And they use them.

Philadelphia is a city full of people trying to work the system. I know this is not a characteristic limited just to this city. However, I think the residents of this city take the game of working the system to an entirely new level. Combine that with understaffed ambulances (if they can even field vehicles that run), a fire based system that is so broken that there is no hope of fixing it, and a city that backs down any time a union (any union, not just the IAFF) files suit to prevent progressive changes and you've got a recipe for disaster.

I could go on but it wouldn't do any good. You're just going to have to trust me on this. If you have vacation or travel plans that take you to Philly, cancel them. Go someplace else. You'll be much safer.

-be safe

[spenac]

paramedicmike these problems are nation wide. Maybe worse there.

The only education that seems to stick with callers here in Texas is the more serious they make it sound when they call the quicker they can expect an ambulance. We have some frequent fliers that know all the tricks. They will have a stomach ache but guess what they call in, thats right I'm having a heart attack or chest pain or well you know the choices. They stub there toe and they call in chest pain etc. What is sad when you recognize the address it is just hard to get motivated. Sadly one day it will be real and all the crying wolf might cause a lower level response.

[frontcrawl]

I seem to recall hearing something about the cops transporting trauma victims in the back of squad cars and paddywagons. Any truth to that?

[paramedicmike]

I seem to recall hearing something about the cops transporting trauma victims in the back of squad cars and paddywagons. Any truth to that?

Yep. I've witnessed it personally.

-be safe

[CC64]

I seem to recall hearing something about the cops transporting trauma victims in the back of squad cars and paddywagons. Any truth to that?

Yes, because hey, the cops are there...the ambulance isn't.

Private sector really isn't all that much better sometimes, when it comes to EMS in Philly. The entire area needs an overhaul, between protocols, personnel (or the lack thereof), and public education.

[Wackerdan]

First let me say that i have enjoyed all of your replys, thank you. But please correct me if I am wrong or if your State protocols don't let you do this, but let me play out a small scenario....You get called to a, ok frequent flyer, and when you arrive and do your proper assessment skills that we all went to school so long for, can you not call your medical command or regional hospital where you can talk to your medical director or however it works in you state or country for that matter and get released. I like the words of, and I'm sorry to use these guys as examples, Johnny and Roy, he explained in one episode that a paramedic is the eyes and hands of the doctor they report to. So if your doc that you report to does indeed trust you, why not try to get released and go to the next serious call. Here is where you need to make a very serious judgement call. Don't just try to get released because someone is being a pain in the back side, but if indeed it is a stubbed toe on a normal adult, or or something truly minor enough that the person could go by bus or other means of public transportation, why not try to call your medical command and get released.

Just a thought and I would like to hear your replies.. thanks and safe riding.