Regulating a City

[JIMMIEEMT]

Here is the question of my day. We are a non-emergency transfer service that does absolutely no 911 calls. We have been running a few calls in an area for almost a year and decided to put a station there full time due to the invitation and encouragment from the local facilities there. The local facilities told us that their transfer needs were not being met by anyone.

We did the usual and spoke with the city again and they assured us there were no regulations or permits needs for us to run in the city but they advised us to contact the EMS director again. So we contacted the EMS director and he told us there was no permit needed but asked us not to be running 911 type transfers and not to run hot through his city. We agreed and life was good.

Well 2 weeks into this I picked up many dialysis patients and last Friday we had a very heavy load. About 9am we got a call from a Judge in the town that stated we were to leave the city due to the fact that we did not have a permit to run in the area. We advised him that we had about 6 patients at dialysis that need a ride home and we have about 4 more that have appointments that need tranfers. He advised us that we were to leave the city immediately.

Well......come to find out the local EMS is getting funds from the County and the City to do transfers. They must fit into the 911 schedule (for example, they picked up a patient the other day and got a 911 call - patient was put back into bed and they responded to the call - patient missed doctors appointment)??? According to EMS director they must also meet the criteria for Medicare and Medicaid. Being that they are getting funds from the City and the County already why should they have to meet any criteria - it is already a paid run!!

We went to the EMS Council meeting and asked for a permit if there was one and if there was not one to make one and there was never an answer to the question and when it was asked a second time you would have thought everyone had turned off their hearing aids.

I am from a small town and understand small town politics but when it interfers with what is best for the patient and their health it gets illegal. Some of the patients that we started transporting had not been to see the doctor for months due to transportation issues. When you tell facilities that they cant use anyone else that takes their choice away and crushes free enterprise!!

The local EMS director told the EMS Council that he can do all the transfers on top of his 911 calls with his 2 trucks. We had 4 trucks there and were running steady. Especially the long distance tranfers that took about 6 to 8 hours alone.

I come from a 911 system and I know that you can not tell a 911 chest pain call they must wait so that you can take Grandma to her doctors appointment.

I can almost guarantee their will be many opinions on this. Especially legal ones!!

Let the games begin!!

[Ridryder 911]

First of all, doesn't sound like your business was not very "business" smart. You should had a attorney review all policy and procedures and make you sure you had the cities blessing form either the commission or business administration.

As far as "they receive funding" and should not charge... is an asinine statement. Subsided services are not definitely, not subsided enough to make it, EMS has to charge.. if not, it won't be an EMS very long.

Go through the proper channels... get the permit or whatever is needed, and hire an attorney if you truly have a right to operate a business.

Be safe,

R/R 911

[Nate]

Watch out, the cops might beat you up.

[flight-lp]

God this has Houston area written all over it!!!!!!!!!!

[firemedic78]

flight-lp

God this has Houston area written all over it!!!!!!!!!!

close...Bay City is where it happened.

[JIMMIEEMT]

someone needs to check the dates on post before posting - that was way back in January! Old news.........

[Asysin2leads]

I'm not sure if the judge could be held liable if a patient suffered from his reckless and arrogant actions. I'd let each of the patient's families know the judge's decision, the basis, and his office hours. Maybe even his home phone number too, but that might be pushing it.