Gothamist: Not a Complainer: Lady who Waited Hour for Ambulance

sonyactivision

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:10:54 -0500

I always summon an ambulance when I'm late for coctails. Is that wrong?

Spiritof76

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:55:55 -0500

If people would stop using the EMS system as a "taxi service" to take them to the emergency room for minor complaints like a stomach ache or chronic leg pain, the resources would be available to help people who really need emergency medical care. Hey, I do my part. When a ladder slipped and dumped me hard enough to break my arm, I told them not to send an ambulance. They did anyway and after they made sure I had no neck injury, I turned down an ambulance ride because obviously I could walk to the hospital.

leepresson

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:50:51 -0500

If people would stop using the EMS system as a "taxi service" to take them to the emergency room for minor complaints like a stomach ache or chronic leg pain, the resources would be available to help people who really need emergency medical care. I worked 17 hours on Tuesday (I'm an EMT) and treated/transported 17 patients, 12 of which were non-urgent minor illness and injuries who would have been better served by seeing their doctor (GP, internest, MD). But they didn't have a regular doctor.

jpeditor

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:44:11 -0500

"How can anyone in the health care industry not be paid well when the health insurance companies virtually rape their customers?" Ask your NY State Senators and Assemblymen why NY State doesn't allow out of state insurers to do business here. (hint, rates a re lower...)

Outter Burrougher

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:48:33 -0500

Gregoire, maybe that was part of her point; she wasn't one of those people so she doesn't feel the need to complain as those peopled should. Also, the more "basic" truck would not have been dispatched to one of those situations, as was discussed in the post on this yesterday. None of that justifies dispatching an ambulance from SI to cover a call in Manhattan, but your analogy doesn't fit the situation.

Gregoire

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:59:13 -0500

She wouldn't have been so charitable had she been delivering a baby or bleeding profusely or chopped off a limb or etc. etc.

jibbly

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:27:34 -0500

You just answered your own question. Operative word being 'insurance'. This granny may just have coined the correct term for grade school history textbooks in the year 3000!

HowBoutDemCowboys

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:12:30 -0500

How can anyone in the health care industry not be paid well when the health insurance companies virtually rape their customers?