How did you like doing Inter-Facility Transports

[Richard B the EMT]

When I worked in the "Privates", we didn't do any 9-1-1 calls, in fact, most of what we did was prescheduled transfers to and from hospitals, facilities and clinics. At night, we would be doing more of them, but unscheduled. Day, night, or weekends, we'd get the occasional actual emergency call.

I have to mention, when I was in the "Privates", none of these providers were a part of the NYC or Nassau/Suffolk counties 9-1-1 systems.

The 9-1-1 systems were either the Health and Hospital Corporation EMS, "Voluntary" hospital EMS under 9-1-1 control (NYPD and NYC HHC EMS in New York City), and Police, Volunteer Fire Department, or community based Volunteer Ambulance Service providers under Dispatch control of the respective county PD command, or a countywide FD central command.

NYC HHC EMS, and the NYC 9-1-1 system didn't do (and still do not do) any prescheduled transfers, although they might do prescheduled stand-bys for events like Times Square New Years, or the New York Marathon. Having a block party? Ask for an ambulance a month in advance, and you might get one dedicated to the event.

On an aligned subject, the Midwood Ambulance Service, located in Brooklyn, provides stand-by coverage at Brooklyn Cyclones games at MCU Field (formerly Keyspan Park) in Coney Island.

[Lone Star]

When I first started in EMS in Detroit, I started with a company that did the IFT's as it's 'bread and butter'.

I also appreciated the occasional 9-1-1 bone they would throw us, but for the most part; I enjoyed the patient contact. I met some very wonderful people who were my patients.

The 'downside' to the IFT trucks is we never got a 'scheduled break', we never knew if we were going to be stuck in the truck all day, or allowed to return to quarters between transfers.

I got moved to a station that was in one of the 'less desirable' suburbs, and all we did was run. Because of the close proximity of the Extended Care Facilities (ECFs) and the hospitals, transport time was usually under 10-15 minutes, which meant that your 'turn around time' was usually very short. The last 24 hour shift at this station, we ran a total of 38 calls. That stands as a 'station record' for any station that company has.

To show how unpredictable this business is....the first call I ran was a cardiac patient complaining of chest pain. Due to patient condition, I opted to 'override' a 'closed status' of the nearest appropriate facility. Even though the nursing staff was upset that we brought them another 'chest pain', they had no choice but to admit the patient (it helps when they apply a 12 lead and they realize that he's infarcting on the spot).

[strippel]

I started many years ago with a volunteer 911 service. That turned into working for a private transport service, which did 90% scheduled and unscheduled IFTs, and about 10% 911 back up for a small city.

As my life changed, so did my jobs. After working inside the hospital, I transferred outside to a non-profit (quasi-hospital based) service. I worked there for years, running mostly city/country 911 calls, mixed with all the different transports you could think of. When I got my medic, the IFTs decreased for me, but increased for the service.

Now, I work for a government agency, and do not do IFTs with them. I am still part-time with the other agency, and get my share of IFTs. Ive been lucky. There are a few nursing home shuttles here and there, but most of mine now are for higher levels of care. The transports range from 1-4 hours one way, with a nurse, and some of the sickest patient's Ive ever seen.

I like the learning aspect of the "specialty" transports, but still remember my early days. It is just as important to talk with an other person, and hear about their life as it is to take care of the sickest of patients. Maybe just not as exciting. All deserve your respect and care.

[+medic]

This is a good topic for myself as well. I currently work as a EMT-B in NH but there is very little to no work in NH for Basics. I am geting my EMT-B in MA soon. I know when I get a full time EMT job in MA I am 99.9% certian it will be with an IFT company since there are so many hospitals in and around Boston and more IFT Ambulance serivces then you can shake a stick at in MA.

I have worked EMS for a while doing mostly medical standy for sporting events and convention it will be nice to work in a Ambulance transporting patients instead of stablizing them then calling for transport.

Cheers

Edited September 13, 2010 by +medic

[CBEMT]

I know when I get a full time EMT job in MA I am 99.9% certian it will be with an IFT company since there are so many hospitals in and around Boston and more IFT Ambulance serivces then you can shake a stick at in MA.

You never know- a LOT of them have 911 contracts.

[ambodriver]

When I first started out as a EMT I worked the privates, as most people do around here when they first get their certs. It was horrible. Nursing home staff that were clueless, rude. Nursing homes that were dirty (99.99%), gross, and negligent. I hated it, but payed my dues.

I couldn't do IFT's anymore. It's not what I'd like to do. I became a medic to be a first responder so I will stick with that. Also the privates around here pay like 12-15$ an hour, which is a horrible barely livable wage.

just my 2 cents.

[Richard B the EMT]

I like the learning aspect of the "specialty" transports, but still remember my early days. It is just as important to talk with an other person, and hear about their life as it is to take care of the sickest of patients. Maybe just not as exciting. All deserve your respect and care.

You, my friend, have just explained 90 % of the work we do. Sometimes "Hand holding" is all that they need, outside of the transportation itself.

I lost track of how many families had come up to me, after I transported their friend or relative, on just how much better some patients felt, emotionally, even those on "final rides" to a hospital, because someone simply had a conversation with them, or listened to them.

[+medic]

You, my friend, have just explained 90 % of the work we do. Sometimes "Hand holding" is all that they need, outside of the transportation itself.

I lost track of how many families had come up to me, after I transported their friend or relative, on just how much better some patients felt, emotionally, even those on "final rides" to a hospital, because someone simply had a conversation with them, or listened to them.

You know something EMS is like any thin elce from a customer service point of view. Your provideing customer serivce rather then just transporting a patient from A-B as well as good patient care. I have a Sales and Marketing backround in addtion to EMS. I honestly belive that you must be nice and provide good customer serivce and patient care when doing your job. Its all part of the promt and kind serivce one should provide when working with people.

So many times I have seen people in our profession forget that what we do is more of a customer serivce as well as provideing patient care and transport.