# Paramedic Plus?



## smacphee (May 20, 2010)

Anybody work for these guys?  I work in Alameda county and if anybody was keeping up with the events unraveling in this county, they may be moving in as the new 911 provider.  If they do, AMR will give us the option of being absorbed by P+.  Thanks.  Also I couldn't find anything under the search function.


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## Shishkabob (May 20, 2010)

Paramedic Plus is owned by East Texas Medical Center, or ETMC, which is pretty much the sole 911 provider to most counties east of Dallas.  I hear nothing but good about them... aside from their atrocious uniforms.


Paramedic Plus also runs Sunstar out in Florida... haven't heard good things about them though....


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## atropine (May 20, 2010)

Yeah I did, in Tulsa Ok. They are a decent company to work for, I imagine with cali's labor laws they might be better for you than they were for me.


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## piranah (May 20, 2010)

sunstar is a great company...two of my co-workers worked there and they loved is


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## smacphee (May 20, 2010)

Thanks for the replies.  I am wondering if they are a company that could be trusted.  Basically I ask because they under bidder am, essentially saying they can run faster response times with less units and money than AMR is currently doing.  BTW this is all public information from the county now invade if anybody is wondering


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## Fbarba123 (May 21, 2010)

I've heard alot of good about PP, and supposedly they say they can same alco close to 25million? so we'll have to see how that goes. I just hope it's not a flop like when Westmed took over Monterey county, Westmed failed miserably, and AMR had to be brought back in to the county as it's sole 911 provider. Currently AMR monterey has a few lawsuits filed against them for employee pay, along with a slew of other things.

I'm currently applying with AMR Alco,(wish me luck) and next year, PP will take over the contract, because it has already been awarded to them by the county.


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## smacphee (May 22, 2010)

Well, technically, p plus has gotten the OK for negotiations.  If for some reason the county doesn't want them anymore, they can pull out.  AMR is not completely out yet.  Also, in monterey, were those people who went to westmed and came back union members?


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## Fbarba123 (May 22, 2010)

True, they have only been ok'd for the coming negotiations. The union members here for monterey were given jobs with westmed, then switched back to amr. I've heard that some just switched companies, and I've also heard from others that they had to go through an entire hiring process again to get a job with the new company. Some were re-hired and some here let go... It depends on your county. Do you currently work for amr Alco?


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## Josheppe (May 23, 2010)

In my experience, any private EMS company is usually worth avoiding.


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## smacphee (May 23, 2010)

Yeah, I work in alco.   The problem for me, as well as a few other people is this.  If we decide to go with pp and pp bails like monterey, we will get hired back but with same pay and seniority?  Or we choose to transfer with all seniority and are almost garunteed a pay cut.  Alco is one of the best paid amr counties.


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## TransportJockey (May 23, 2010)

Josheppe said:


> In my experience, any private EMS company is usually worth avoiding.



And your solution would then be what? Become FFs? I for one have no desire to roll hose for a living.


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## Shishkabob (May 23, 2010)

Josheppe said:


> In my experience, any private EMS company is usually worth avoiding.



And why is that?


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## Fbarba123 (May 23, 2010)

Switching companies is a very touchy thing to do. Here when AMR was first here they paid their employee's very well. Then Westmed came and kept most of the same employee's. I think most if not all were allowed to keep all of their current positions and pay. When Westmed failed, and AMR was allowed back to resurrect the county, AMR was the one that cut everyone's pay, moved everyone's positions around, and even recently fired 11 employee's. 

If your in really good standing with AMR, and really do like the company, maybe try switching to AMR operations in a different county? A county that at least has a good rapport. 

When is PP scheduled to take over operations? Is amr Alco still hiring?


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## Fbarba123 (May 23, 2010)

Here is a link to what is currently the issue with Monterey County AMR, they are currently warning AMR Santa Clara, because they suspect they could possibly do the same.


www.montereycountyambulance.com


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## MusicMedic (May 23, 2010)

Fbarba123 said:


> Here is a link to what is currently the issue with Monterey County AMR, they are currently warning AMR Santa Clara, because they suspect they could possibly do the same.
> 
> 
> www.montereycountyambulance.com



Wow what a mess!!
i hope PP dosnt end up like westmed, when they underbid and went bankrupt 

Seems like Private ambulance companies have idiots running their Accounting/Billing departments


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## smacphee (May 23, 2010)

Josheppe said:


> In my experience, any private EMS company is usually worth avoiding.





Fbarba123 said:


> Switching companies is a very touchy thing to do. Here when AMR was first here they paid their employee's very well. Then Westmed came and kept most of the same employee's. I think most if not all were allowed to keep all of their current positions and pay. When Westmed failed, and AMR was allowed back to resurrect the county, AMR was the one that cut everyone's pay, moved everyone's positions around, and even recently fired 11 employee's.
> 
> If your in really good standing with AMR, and really do like the company, maybe try switching to AMR operations in a different county? A county that at least has a good rapport.
> 
> When is PP scheduled to take over operations? Is amr Alco still hiring?



Assuming everything goes according to pp's plan, they will start in about a year from now.  Amr is still hiring now too.  I really like this county for the pay.  Compared to other places, AMR Alco pays really well.  AMR is fighting really really hard to keep the concract and is picking apart the bid pp put in, obviously.


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## Shishkabob (May 23, 2010)

Fbarba123 said:


> Here is a link to what is currently the issue with Monterey County AMR, they are currently warning AMR Santa Clara, because they suspect they could possibly do the same.
> 
> 
> www.montereycountyambulance.com





> "AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE"
> 
> HURTING YOUR COMMUNITY AND
> DEGRADING YOUR EMERGENCY
> WORKERS.



That, and it's IAFF.  IAFF has done just as much, if not more, to hurt EMS than any private provider.


Those two combined made me instantly click out of the website.  Don't care to read any fake crap put up to persuade people to on side without any real facts.


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## JPINFV (May 23, 2010)

You know... at a minumum people need to have webpages like that proof read.


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## Hal9000 (May 23, 2010)

What a mess that site is.  The grammar and spelling—vacillating often—are interesting themselves, but the overall communicative style is what I find to be most bizarre.  Take these examples:



> The ambulance can be a daunting place for anyone.  It is confined, has a lot of equipment throughout, and can make for a bumpy ride.
> 
> The paramedic treating you will attempt to make you feel as comfortable as possible.  There is heat and air conditioning for your environment, and you are encouraged to let your paramedic know which you prefer.
> 
> ...














The thoughts don't look to have been organized/articulated prior to posting, much less proofread.  Oh well, it has nice colors, I guess.


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## JPINFV (May 23, 2010)

I scanned over that last page, but I missed this one. Really? AEDs are sold for a resonable cost? I can't think of the last time I spent $1000 on any one single purchase.


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## TransportJockey (May 23, 2010)

JPINFV said:


> I scanned over that last page, but I missed this one. Really? AEDs are sold for a resonable cost? I can't think of the last time I spent $1000 on any one single purchase.



They're not a reasonable price... Although I can think to the last time I dropped 1k on a single thing... What can I say, I like guns and 4x4s


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## Shishkabob (May 23, 2010)

*cough Vegas  cough*

No comment...


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## medic417 (May 23, 2010)

Linuss said:


> *cough Vegas  cough*
> 
> No comment...



That drag queen charged you a grand?:wacko:


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## Shishkabob (May 23, 2010)

Hey, jet lag + blinding desert sands + Margaritas = not the best decisions of my life.

Don't judge me!


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## Fbarba123 (May 23, 2010)

Yes, EMS employee's here in Monterey county voted to be part of the IAFF union instead of the national EMS union... don't ask me why. The website is fairly new, and it's run by a few emt's/ medics currently employed my AMR monterey. It's a little rough, but get good information out there, better than nothing in my book. I work for a transport company here in monterey co, not amr, and we actually have amr employee's trying to work for us instead!


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## JPINFV (May 23, 2010)

Monterey EMS employees need to have a frank discussion about IAFF with their "brothers" over at MAST in Kansas City.


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## Shishkabob (May 24, 2010)

Fbarba123 said:


> It's a little rough, but get good information out there, better than nothing in my book.



I'm sorry, but a tainted perspective from a screwed union that has it's F-ups as well doesn't equate to "better than nothing".


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## medic417 (May 24, 2010)

JPINFV said:


> Monterey EMS employees need to have a frank discussion about IAFF with their "brothers" over at MAST in Kansas City.



Real quick it was obvious who the IAFF truly represented even though they were happy to take MAST employee money.  They should have to refund every penny they were paid as they did not do what was right for the MAST employees.


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## FlightMedicHunter (May 24, 2010)

I worked for PPI for many years under Sunstar in Florida and EMSA in Oklahoma City.  If you are educated and have any common sense.......run......run away very....very fast.

However, if you are an idiot and think that as a medic you save 5-10 people's lives a day and you really like to put as many attachments as possible on your belt.....and you have no experience,,,,,well then go ahead and sign up.


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## atropine (May 24, 2010)

medic417 said:


> Real quick it was obvious who the IAFF truly represented even though they were happy to take MAST employee money.  They should have to refund every penny they were paid as they did not do what was right for the MAST employees.



How do you know that some of the Mast people didn't want to be dual role, or maybe all of them, we don't. Sounds like the city and Mast are trying to survive in this hard economic situation. What ever the reason what is done is done, and whatever former mast employee who doesn't like can move to another privat company I guess.


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## JPINFV (May 24, 2010)

atropine said:


> How do you know that some of the Mast people didn't want to be dual role, or maybe all of them, we don't. Sounds like the city and Mast are trying to survive in this hard economic situation. What ever the reason what is done is done, and whatever former mast employee who doesn't like can move to another privat company I guess.




Then why would they need memos like this:


> "March 5, 2009
> 
> Members of IAFF Local 42 MAST Shop:
> 
> ...



http://voices.kansascity.com/node/3943

It's bull like this that makes me support right to work states. F the unions. F closed shop.


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## medic417 (May 24, 2010)

atropine said:


> How do you know that some of the Mast people didn't want to be dual role, or maybe all of them, we don't. Sounds like the city and Mast are trying to survive in this hard economic situation. What ever the reason what is done is done, and whatever former mast employee who doesn't like can move to another privat company I guess.



Very well documented that the MAST employees opposed the move.  

Sure go private when they used to work with a quality organization.  You sound like the union extortion letter already provided by JP.


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## smacphee (May 25, 2010)

FlightMedicHunter said:


> I worked for PPI for many years under Sunstar in Florida and EMSA in Oklahoma City.  If you are educated and have any common sense.......run......run away very....very fast.
> 
> However, if you are an idiot and think that as a medic you save 5-10 people's lives a day and you really like to put as many attachments as possible on your belt.....and you have no experience,,,,,well then go ahead and sign up.



Thanks for the reply.  What about the company exactly didn't you like?  And would those dislikes revolve around local management or on a larger scale?

Anybody think this thread got sidetracked yet?


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## FlightMedicHunter (May 25, 2010)

smacphee said:


> Thanks for the reply.  What about the company exactly didn't you like?  And would those dislikes revolve around local management or on a larger scale?
> 
> Anybody think this thread got sidetracked yet?



Well, the structure was pretty much the same in FL as in OKC.  OKC's management was much worse than in FL.  However, they both were horrible.  Obviously, as a private company, their end goal is profit but it is very apparent at the operations level that they are all about profits.  The pay is horrible compared to a civil service.  Poor 401(k) structure and even worse medical coverage.  I would gather that any new area that PPI takes over will suffer the same problems as they will continue to follow the same business model as their other areas (TX, OKC, and FL).  PPI is simply a stepping stool to another agency.  I would find it hard to imagine anyone purposely making a career out of working for PPI,,,,unless of course you are one of those people that I mentioned in the earlier post.


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## Shishkabob (May 25, 2010)

And yet, I've heard of none of those complaints about ETMC, who owns PP...so you can't make that a rule for the whole company.


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## atropine (May 25, 2010)

FlightMedicHunter said:


> Well, the structure was pretty much the same in FL as in OKC.  OKC's management was much worse than in FL.  However, they both were horrible.  Obviously, as a private company, their end goal is profit but it is very apparent at the operations level that they are all about profits.  The pay is horrible compared to a civil service.  Poor 401(k) structure and even worse medical coverage.  I would gather that any new area that PPI takes over will suffer the same problems as they will continue to follow the same business model as their other areas (TX, OKC, and FL).  PPI is simply a stepping stool to another agency.  I would find it hard to imagine anyone purposely making a career out of working for PPI,,,,unless of course you are one of those people that I mentioned in the earlier post.



Agreed, I would have to say it's a great stepping stone job, and a wonderful place to get in and out with some valuble medical calls. I land the fire gig after spending 18 months in Tulsa, what a horrible place to work and live.


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## smacphee (May 26, 2010)

Thanks for clearing that up.  PP stated to us that they will keep the wages and benefits the same.  Also, they say pp is a non-profit.  Is that true with you guys?


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## FlightMedicHunter (May 26, 2010)

Paramedics Plus, INCORPORATED, is definitely a for-profit company.


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## smacphee (May 26, 2010)

They just told us not for profit and would cap profits at 5%


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## FlightMedicHunter (May 26, 2010)

smacphee said:


> They just told us not for profit and would cap profits at 5%



Yes, that sounds accurate.  But don't be fooled, that 5% is on top of the massive subsidy that the city pays them to provide EMS coverage in the area.  For instance, OKC last year paid PPI $4 million for 1 year.  PPI then capped profits at 10% and all extras go to the authority.


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## KELRAG (Oct 5, 2010)

*Get ready for PP+, the contract is theirs.*



Linuss said:


> And yet, I've heard of none of those complaints about ETMC, who owns PP...so you can't make that a rule for the whole company.[/QUOTE
> 
> ETMC has some of those same problems.  Being a private service, profit is the number one goal and working for them, its obvious.  The "non-profit" designation is a creative way to avoid taxes.  Because etmc and paramedics plus are owned by a hospital system, any "profit" made by the ambulance company, in turn gets put back into the hospital system, to get distributed as they wish (contractors, board members, etc...) and turned into funds with other creative names.  This is what allows them to hide under the tax shelter of "not for profit"
> 
> ...


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## usalsfyre (Oct 5, 2010)

KELRAG,

The Road Safety box is becoming more and more common in EMS. It's to encourage smooth driving. I don't know that I agree with the way ETMC has made it a disciplinary issue, but to each his own. Besides, you SHOULDN'T be backing without a spotter or going anywhere unbelted. Goggles aren't a bad idea either. While they are a pain in the rear on most calls, I never seem to have them when I actually NEED a set...

You sound like you work for ETMC in an otherwise unnamed Central Texas city that is home to a major religous college. Unfortunately you and your comrades in this city have to turn a profit instead of being a loss leader for the hospital since ya'll transport mainly to the 'Hill and Prov. From most of my friends that still work for East Texas say this makes life harder over there. 

ETMC is like any company, it has its goods and bads. They are actually "not-for-profit" which changes the dynamic and they can indeed profit without penalty. This tends to lead to them running more like a for-profit at times. They are clinically up to snuff, if a but behind the times on things like sedation, immobilization and pain management. 

PP is a wholely different animal, and most definitely for profit. Run by the same people, different intent entirely.


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