Radio Reports - Chicago

[BearChicago]

Hello everybody,

I work for a private in Chicago on the BLS side. At my company, this huge lie has overtaken the entire BLS staff and any new hires who come in. That being, "it's a Chicago hospital; you don't have to call." Rather, if you're transporting a BLS run to a hospital within the City of Chicago, you don't have to give a radio report. Just show up and walk in.

At the same time, everybody at the company is deathly afraid of walking into a suburban hospital without calling, because they know they'll get chewed out by the charge nurse upon arrival if they don't.

Does this go on at anybody else's company? To me, this is a huge load of BS perpetuated to promote laziness.

Thanks.

 

[JPINFV]

Sounds like Boston, but the few times I transported to an ED in MA, I called in regardless. It's not like it takes a lot of time.

 

[medicdan]

That has to be a question for the hospitals on your area. Consider getting in touch with the regional EMS Agency (or coordinator for the city), or state OEMS/DPH. With experience (being chewed out by nurses either way), you learn what hospitals want.

JP-- it's actually quite simple in Boston. Hospitals don't want to hear from you unless your patient is a major trauma, is coding, or will require immediate airway assistance. Anywhere outside of the city, they want to know about everything, even a fingernail injury less than a minute away.

 

[JPINFV]

JP-- it's actually quite simple in Boston. Hospitals don't want to hear from you unless your patient is a major trauma, is coding, or will require immediate airway assistance. Anywhere outside of the city, they want to know about everything, even a fingernail injury less than a minute away.

The funny thing is that I never had anyone complain when I called in, regardless of if it was via cell phone or CMed. Of course I also don't take 5 minutes on a simple entry note like a lot of people do.

 

[wyoskibum]

It really depends on the hospital. A couple of hospitals that I transport to want a patch regardless. One of the hospitals do not want a patch unless it is a priority 1 or 2 patient.

If you have any questions, have your Medical director contact the hospital and ascertain their preference

 

[Tigger]

That has to be a question for the hospitals on your area. Consider getting in touch with the regional EMS Agency (or coordinator for the city), or state OEMS/DPH. With experience (being chewed out by nurses either way), you learn what hospitals want.

JP-- it's actually quite simple in Boston. Hospitals don't want to hear from you unless your patient is a major trauma, is coding, or will require immediate airway assistance. Anywhere outside of the city, they want to know about everything, even a fingernail injury less than a minute away.

That about sums up Massachusetts if you ask me. As you as you leave the city you better call even if the sending facility called a head too.

 

[exodus]

My call in's only take about 15 -20 seconds.

This is blah blah we are 4 out with a 24 yo f with 3/10 neck pain secondary to a minor car accident. We have her in spinal precauation, vitals are 120/80 HR 86 Resps 20. We're about 5 out, again, this is blah blah blah. Do you need anything else?

I've only had one time where they ask for anything more and that's because they don't know we're BLS.

 

[bstone]

I worked for a Chicago private company for a bunch of years. Whenever I deliver a PT to an ER I call ahead.

 

[Fish]

How is an ER supposed to be prepared for you unless you call?

 

[medicdan]

How is an ER supposed to be prepared for you unless you call?

What preperation does the hospital need to make for the stable abnormal vitals, or abd pain x12 hours? How about the ankle pain? Other than clearing a bed, what is there to do in the 5-10 minutes before we arrive?

Clearly, STEMIs/Traumas/Arrests/CVAs are a different story, but there doesn't seem to be much to do for 90% of incoming patients.

 

[JPINFV]

What preperation does the hospital need to make for the stable abnormal vitals, or abd pain x12 hours? How about the ankle pain? Other than clearing a bed, what is there to do in the 5-10 minutes before we arrive?

I've had one hospital where we walked in and half the time we already had a bed assigned on the white board. It could make the difference between that bed getting a patient from triage or the patient in my ambulance.

 

[Fish]

I've had one hospital where we walked in and half the time we already had a bed assigned on the white board. It could make the difference between that bed getting a patient from triage or the patient in my ambulance.

This is what I am getting at, we call ahead for all patients that way the bed is ready when we get there. Or if it is more of an acute level patient the appropriate resources are in the room as well.


PLus, in busy systems like CHicago, LA, San Diego, etc.... isn't it normal for hospitals to go on bypass? That would be a good thing to know before you just showed up, walked in and went "Oh whats that? your on bypass, oh..... my bad, I guess I should have called first.....we will just let the patient sit here on our stretcher for 45mins while a bed clears I guess"

 

[bstone]

PLus, in busy systems like CHicago, LA, San Diego, etc.... isn't it normal for hospitals to go on bypass? That would be a good thing to know before you just showed up, walked in and went "Oh whats that? your on bypass, oh..... my bad, I guess I should have called first.....we will just let the patient sit here on our stretcher for 45mins while a bed clears I guess"

I worked 5 years on Chicago's north side and bypass was pretty rare. It did happen, just not that often. I do remember CFD bringing a patient to Sweedish ER when they were on bypass. The nurses were extremely unhappy with that.

 

[Bullets]

in my area of NJ, BLS only calls the hospital if it is a trauma, code, stroke, and we dont have ALS. otherwise, BLS 911 calls dont ever get called in

 

[Fish]

I worked 5 years on Chicago's north side and bypass was pretty rare. It did happen, just not that often. I do remember CFD bringing a patient to Sweedish ER when they were on bypass. The nurses were extremely unhappy with that.

I have never worked in the north just the west and south, seems crazy to me not to give a heads up. San diego over does it with mother may I 3 minute long radio reports. I like the way the service I am with now does it, just a quick heads up. to each their own i guess.

 

[JPINFV]

This is what I am getting at, we call ahead for all patients that way the bed is ready when we get there. Or if it is more of an acute level patient the appropriate resources are in the room as well.


PLus, in busy systems like CHicago, LA, San Diego, etc.... isn't it normal for hospitals to go on bypass? That would be a good thing to know before you just showed up, walked in and went "Oh whats that? your on bypass, oh..... my bad, I guess I should have called first.....we will just let the patient sit here on our stretcher for 45mins while a bed clears I guess"

A lot of systems are starting to get away from bypassing unless something is wrong (internal disaster or neuro bypass if CT is down, etc) since it causes more problems down stream than it fixes upstream.

 

[Fish]

A lot of systems are starting to get away from bypassing unless something is wrong (internal disaster or neuro bypass if CT is down, etc) since it causes more problems down stream than it fixes upstream.

Luckily where I am now no one has ever heard of bypass, San Diego however will forever be behind the times.

 

[medicdan]

I've had one hospital where we walked in and half the time we already had a bed assigned on the white board. It could make the difference between that bed getting a patient from triage or the patient in my ambulance.

I guess I just live and work in an alternative universe. I clearly don't understand ED bed management (flow and triage), but if the 5-10 minute heads up you're giving for an incoming patient "saves" the only bed available from a patient in triage, the ED has bigger problems coming to it. That begs the question if we could use "Open Table.com" for ED bed reservations, "I'd like a bed with a window view for 6:30 this evening".

I also exist in a universe where divert or bypass no longer exists... the state DPH challenged hospitals to (often creatively) eliminate it, and EDs generally only close, as mentioned earlier for internal disaster or the like.

 

[Martyn]

That about sums up Massachusetts if you ask me. As you as you leave the city you better call even if the sending facility called a head too.

Been on both sides, one time thought facility had called so I didnt and got chewed out (in a nice way), transfer from one hospital to another and called and got a rather short 'we know about that patient, thankyou, goodbye', my bet is CYA...make the call

 

[JPINFV]

To be fair, that hospital was freakishly good at bed management and the last time I saw numbers (The most recent set of data I can find was 4th quarter 2007, which was just after I left) they had the most paramedic runs (despite not being a trauma center) and no saturation downtime. Unlike other hospitals, I don't think I've ever had to wait longer than 10 minutes before getting a bed.