how about doctors on an ambulance?

[Doctor Death]

Here in Australia, we don’t have doctors on ambulance. I run what we call an MRT (Medical Response Team) Basically we cover the paramedics asses when they don’t know what do to lol… Our team consists of myself (Trauma Doctor) a surgeon, surgical nurse and an emergency nurse. We get called upon by ambulance control, mainly to give a surgical consult, perform surgery in the field, basically any sort of extreme trauma that might happen. We also respond to muti-trauma patient situations. You guys don’t call on us very often, which is a great thing.

Back in my younger days I worked as a helicopter doctor on and off for about 6 years.. I also have worked a few rave parties and car racing events along side all sorts different ambulance services.

Keep up the great work that you guys do. You have a tough job. We doctors would be lost with out you grasshoppers!

[Asysin2leads]

Here in Australia, we don’t have doctors on ambulance. I run what we call an MRT (Medical Response Team) Basically we cover the paramedics asses when they don’t know what do to lol… Our team consists of myself (Trauma Doctor) a surgeon, surgical nurse and an emergency nurse. We get called upon by ambulance control, mainly to give a surgical consult, perform surgery in the field, basically any sort of extreme trauma that might happen. We also respond to muti-trauma patient situations. You guys don’t call on us very often, which is a great thing.

Back in my younger days I worked as a helicopter doctor on and off for about 6 years.. I also have worked a few rave parties and car racing events along side all sorts different ambulance services.

Keep up the great work that you guys do. You have a tough job. We doctors would be lost with out you grasshoppers!

Rave parties??? Oh, my imagination runs wild.

[somedic]

Doctor Death (nice name): You would be bored over here in my system. Our paramedics never need our asses covered by doctors and nurses that should be in hospitals. you probably dont get a lot of calls because no one wants the extra drama, chaos, and "Im a doctor/nurse...I'll do what I want to" attitude that would come with your wagon of personalities.

Ambulance control? I thought that was hitting the possum trying to cross the road while on a hot run to a scene.

Oh and thanks for the complement you gave to us. Im glad you recognize that EMS is a hard job. I never thought of myself as a grasshopper...it must be a aussie thing.

SOMEDIC

[JPINFV]

Doctor Death (nice name): You would be bored over here in my system. Our paramedics never need our asses covered by doctors and nurses that should be in hospitals.

Because American paramedics are never the cause of a cluster fuck and never does anything to hurt a patient. :roll:

you probably dont get a lot of calls because no one wants the extra drama, chaos, and "Im a doctor/nurse...I'll do what I want to" attitude that would come with your wagon of personalities.

I wish I could just not call for the medics because half the time they bring the same sort of holier then thou attitude in my area (i.e. "Lets run code 3 because I'm on board. Grr, I'm missing my Grey's Anatomy for a borderline patient so I don't get to pull out my skillz").

Ambulance control? I thought that was hitting the possum trying to cross the road while on a hot run to a scene.

Big leap here, but I think he's talking about online medical control.

I'm begining to think that maybe one of the problems with EMS is the average attitude of its providers. Why would a doc want to put up with the headache involved with trying to improve a system full of people involved because of corercion (fire fighters), tools (look at me, I start IV, can I have my treat now), idiots (some medics, most basics/who needs any edumacation), and wackers (lights, yeeeeaaaa, sirens yeeeeaaa dee dee dee/durrr I don't need no medical control, I know the most about emergency medicine).

[WelshMedic]

When Dr Death mentions ambulance control he means the dispatch center. The crew would request a medical team via dispatch who would then pass on the request to the hospital. It has nothing to do with on-line medical command, that is an uniquely american (?and canadian) phenomenon.

WM

[Timmy]

Somedic- What I think the Doc is getting at, it’s ok to ask for help. Everyone gets stuck once in a while and it’s nice to know that there is backup there if you need it.

Let me give you an example of what an MRT would get called to. A MVA were a patient is timed critical; they need hospital/surgery within 15mins. There pinned by both legs and recuse would take an hour to remove the patient. MRT would be called to surgically remove the patient’s leg to allow quicker transport to hospital. Would you rather loss a leg or die?? As the doc said there called in ‘extreme trauma’

We had a MRT at MX once, had a patient with an extreme spinal injury and the medics wanted a second option on how to maynover/lift the patient. It’s not because there stupid or under educated but they wanted advice from someone with more experience and expertise in the area. If the resources were available then why wouldn’t you take ever opportunity to get someone out there who knows better and can provide better patient care, you never know you might learn something?

Most of the time doctors don’t get that ‘look out I’m a doctor’ attitude, most of them will explain what there doing or guide you through a more advanced treatment. But really if a doctor told you to get out of the way then do it, the patient needs more advanced care than what most EMS people can provide.

Ambulance control= Communications/control centre, were all the high ranking officers and decision makers hang out.

[becksdad]

When the student is ready, the teacher appears. View all providers as teachers. Some teach what to do and how to be. Others teach what not to do and how not to be. Open your mind and let all offer their lessons.

...You welcome Grasshopper.

... Peace, Doc.

[p3medic]

but the truth of the matter is a doctor will probably know better than anybody that getting someone to the OR quickly is crucial on a trauma. (quote from asysin2leads)

Tell that to Princess Di..... :oops:

[Michael]

Gentlefolk -

Doctor Death represents as a woman, hence she rather than he, and it may (may) make the grasshopper comment a bit less offensive.

[Scorpy_CFS]

Oh for the love of god, the cynicism of some people.

Doctors on ambulances isn't the dumbest thing in the world. What is pissing most people off is that this will step on the toes of a hell of a lot of EMTs and paramedics and make them jealous. If someone has had a bad experience with a doc, get over it, we all have. But like it or not, docs sit on their arses for five to seven years longer than most EMS personnel learning deep physiology so I wouldn't discount them too quickly as being useless.

Firstly, the practical side is that it is not cost effective but I'm glad that Doctor Death mentioned his work because I was going to mention the system in South Australia which is similar. There;s only three times one will find a doctor on an ambulance here. That is one, because they're on the medical advisory council and are on FRVs because of major events (new years eve, etc) When we have paramedics doing their intensive care training, you will sometimes find docs from their trainng courses teaching them, and three, most importantly, as a part of hospital retrieval teams. Our main hospital retrieval team called medi-flight is staffed by trauma registrars or intensivists and they carry four cases of extra equipment including surgical kits, units of blood, auto-respirators, etc and are extremely proficient at what they do. Even the intensive care paramedics tend to stand back thinking 'oh my god' with the field proceedures and therapies of these specialists. They are called for Platinum time period patients who are literally circling the toilet, country emergency response for serious patients expecting to require medical intensive care after admittance to hospital or for large incidents. They are extremely well integrated into the system, proficient, treat all other medical and ems staff well, understand the PHC system and above all, are saviours for a hell of a lot of people every year.

Having said that, there is the occasional toe stepping but that happens the entire way through the health care system with different personnel and is not isolated to docs in the field. Lastly, to even suggest that just because a doc is in the field that they are egotistical or have a god complex is just retarded and shows severe prejudice based on both a lack of understanding and perhaps a self inflated ego at the same time, hence hypocricy. That's all I'm gonna say on the issue and I'm sorry if I offended anyone but it just pisses me off to see someone like Doctor Death targeted because he happens to be a doc in the field. Facts before arguements people, otherwise it is just whinging.