Is It Proper For Federal Agency To Compete With Local EMS?

[medic511]

I am hoping that someone may have some information (or at least research suggestions). I work for a small, rural EMS organization in a western state and our town is adjacent to a National Park. In years past, when a visitor was injured or became ill inside the National Park, we always did the transport to the nearest hospital (about 40 miles away). Transporting patients out of the National Park was about 50% of our annual call volume and revenue. Now, the National Park has purchased a new ambulance and is transporting injured and ill visitors in-house and, we are told, billing the patients for its services.

The Park's "ranger medics" are all National Registry but they do not "bother" getting a state-issued "certification" because "as federal law enforcement personnel, they don't have to." I suspect that much is probably true. However, I am uncomfortable with the concept that the Federal government can spend taxpayer dollars to buy an ambulance and take over the transport of sick and injured Park visitors to a hospital 40 miles outside of the Park and then bill the patients, all in direct "competition" with local EMS.

What do you folks think of this? Is this common with the National Park Service?

[JPINFV]

Do you have a problem if a military base runs their own ambulance and transports patients from a military base to a local hospital?

[medic511]

Not if the military base ambulance is transporting military personnel but if the base ambulance began transporting non-military patients from auto accidents that occur on a State Road that just happens to pass through the base, then, yes, I would.

Are you aware of any other National Parks that transport sick/injured visitors for pay?

[frontcrawl]

Dunno about billing but Google says Grand Canyon; Grand Teton; Yellowstone; Yosemite; Death Valley and Denali do or have done so at some point. An outfit called Medcor runs a couple of clinics inside Yellowstone.

[JPINFV]

Not if the military base ambulance is transporting military personnel but if the base ambulance began transporting non-military patients from auto accidents that occur on a State Road that just happens to pass through the base, then, yes, I would.

Are you aware of any other National Parks that transport sick/injured visitors for pay?

Are you questioning the quality of the medics' care or is this a simple territory/money dispute? Federal park=federal land=federal government can play by their own rules.

[Dustdevil]

You can thank Obama... I mean OSAMA for this.

Thanks to 9/11, the NPS has more money in "Homeland Security" funds than they know what to do with. Consequently, they now run EMS for the same reason the firemonkeys do -- money and a lot of idle time on their hands doing nothing else.

Is it right? Probably not. But yes, it's perfectly legal, and you have no hope of fighting it.

And it is true that federal employees do not need state EMS licenses.

[Scaramedic]

You can thank Obama... I mean OSAMA for this.

:evil:

Do you have a problem with patients getting the faster care? If the patient is critical that time waiting for you to get there might make a big difference in their outcome. Remember it is not about scrounging for dollars but caring for patients. Correct me if I'm wrong but if they are transporting 40 miles to the hospital does that mean you are going twenty miles or more to get to the patient?

[Just Plain Ruff]

Don't think of it as Competition - think of it as augmenting patient care. More providers = more resources (maybe not as qualified though)

And I do not have a problem with a Federal service working a wreck on a highway that runs thru their land. If they are closer than you are then why are you complaining. Other than the bottom line of dollars is what makes me think you are complaining, not the other way around.

You've heard the old adage "you can't fight city hall" well you can't fight uncle sam.

What's good for the patient is good for everyone if you ask me.

[JPINFV]

You've heard the old adage "you can't fight city hall" well you can't fight uncle sam.

I wanna do it all

See Niagara falls

Fight city hall

[spenac]

Dunno about billing but Google says Grand Canyon; Grand Teton; Yellowstone; Yosemite; Death Valley and Denali do or have done so at some point. An outfit called Medcor runs a couple of clinics inside Yellowstone.

Big Bend National Park has had an ambulance for many years.