Ive noticed that basically every company in my area give the crews cell phones to paige out the calls. Ive also noticed that the radios in the trucks (at least the ones ive been in) are garbage. theyre full of static and half the time I cant even reach med control on the other end. So I started calling the hospital ERs directly to give reports. Do you think this is acceptable? Would you do this if you could? or do you like the good ol' fashioned radio?
Radio vs Phone reports
- Thread starter sneauxpod
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We use cell phones to call in all of our reports. It allows us to make contact much earlier (when we get coverage) than we can with a radio, and the hospitals appreciate that. In addition, we can give out PHI that we normally can't give out over the air, which allows the hospital to pull up the patient records before we arrive.
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I'm also a big fan of using the cell phone to call in reports instead of the radio. In some systems, there are times that using the radio is mandated (trauma, stroke, cardiac alerts) but generally, I would even then want the phone to call in the report. I consider it to be a little less formal and more personal as well. As stated above, you can also call in PHI so that the patient can be located in the hospital's system, especially if the patient is "known" to the hospital.
I just believe that generally speaking, giving report over the phone is a better way to do it, unless you only have time to give the basics for some kind of alert.
I just believe that generally speaking, giving report over the phone is a better way to do it, unless you only have time to give the basics for some kind of alert.
In Seattle we use a HEAR radio to give a short report to the ER. At the Basic level we don't have Medical Control, the Paramedics are our Medical Control so we don't need to worry about that. The medics use a HEAR radio to contact the appropriate medical control when needed. Pretty interesting to hear actually if you can pick it up on a scanner.
I am torn personally. We got good quality radios so audio isn't an issue. From a time saving and hygenic point of view i prefer the radio. From a practical standpoint as well as security I prefer a phone. If I HAD to pick one, I would choose the radio.
I am torn personally. We got good quality radios so audio isn't an issue. From a time saving and hygenic point of view i prefer the radio. From a practical standpoint as well as security I prefer a phone. If I HAD to pick one, I would choose the radio.
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Radio works well when you're relatively close to the hospital like in a city with short transport times. Out here in BFE, smoke signals work better and farther.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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give them good phones. that way they can always call dispatch or a supervisor when requested. if you are really smart, you can even have the dispatch CAD page the cell phone with times for the job.
cell phones typically have better call quality than radios. they are also full duplex, while radio is half duplex, which means the other end can interrupt with questions. you can also transmit 12 leads via a cell phone.
yes they are more expensive, yes they have monthly fees. But they are much more private than a report given over a radio frequency.
cell phones typically have better call quality than radios. they are also full duplex, while radio is half duplex, which means the other end can interrupt with questions. you can also transmit 12 leads via a cell phone.
yes they are more expensive, yes they have monthly fees. But they are much more private than a report given over a radio frequency.
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My silly company took away portables for BLS crews (grrr 
) so I use my personal cell phone most of the time to call in a report. I have recorded EMS lines for most hospitals, and though I could use the truck radio, it's a pain to stretch the damn thing back into the module. Our newer trucks have radios mounted in back, but of course my base does not have any of them.
Some hospitals require the use of the CMED radio for entry notes no matter the complaint, so in that case I'll use the radio before we start transporting. Otherwise it's phone all the way. Even when we had portables I still used the phone as it was more convenient, faster, and if you screwed up your report the entire ED couldn't usually hear it.
) so I use my personal cell phone most of the time to call in a report. I have recorded EMS lines for most hospitals, and though I could use the truck radio, it's a pain to stretch the damn thing back into the module. Our newer trucks have radios mounted in back, but of course my base does not have any of them.Some hospitals require the use of the CMED radio for entry notes no matter the complaint, so in that case I'll use the radio before we start transporting. Otherwise it's phone all the way. Even when we had portables I still used the phone as it was more convenient, faster, and if you screwed up your report the entire ED couldn't usually hear it.
frdude1000
Forum Captain
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Cell phones are all great until everyone else tries to use them and your call can't go through. This happens often at large events and during major crisis. Also, radios can operate in places where cell phones don't get service. Their range can be extended by repeaters, too.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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before we got wireless access in our trucks for our toughbooks, we transmitted the 12 lead over the cell phone to a receiving station in the hospital. I think it functioned like a fax machine or modem.
hm that would make sense. lol speaking of wireless in the truck, you ever hack into it? i can smell a new thread coming on.
firecoins
IFT Puppet
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all reports by cell phone. I am not doing a radio thing and the er will not pick it up anyway.
Anyway the calls are a courtesy.
Anyway the calls are a courtesy.
For medical control, if there's decent cell service, I don't think the conversation should ever take place over the radio. A 2 way, interactive phone conversation is much more effective on a phone, and it's more private.
As for reports, we have one hospital that insists on a radio report for every patient. I never do, nor do most of my co-workers. (We only go there for about 10% of our transports.) If the patient is acute and needs a bed, I call the charge nurse and give a brief report.
I use my personal phone. It's easiest to just take my own phone off my belt. I know where the numbers are and am comfortable using it.
As for reports, we have one hospital that insists on a radio report for every patient. I never do, nor do most of my co-workers. (We only go there for about 10% of our transports.) If the patient is acute and needs a bed, I call the charge nurse and give a brief report.
I use my personal phone. It's easiest to just take my own phone off my belt. I know where the numbers are and am comfortable using it.
NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Almost all reports are done via radio here. We have a very robust, digital, 800 MHz trunked system and each hospital has its own talk group. It makes entry notes and doc consults very easy. Also, for MCIs, we can coordinate all hospitals together on one talk group for transport options.
I've used both a "patched" CMED system and Seattle's conventional 155.43 HEAR system, and our radio system is miles beyond.
If we call the ED on a cell, we have to call our dispatcher center first, who will patch our phone to the ED so the conversation can be recorded. Direct calls to the ED by phone are not allowed as they're not taped.
So, for us... It's > 90% radio.
I've used both a "patched" CMED system and Seattle's conventional 155.43 HEAR system, and our radio system is miles beyond.
If we call the ED on a cell, we have to call our dispatcher center first, who will patch our phone to the ED so the conversation can be recorded. Direct calls to the ED by phone are not allowed as they're not taped.
So, for us... It's > 90% radio.
DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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Cell phone. The only time radios are used to call the hospital is when telephones in the ER are down.
New York State requires the medical control lines to be taped on the hospital end, from my understanding. Every hospital here has there own taped medical control phone line.
NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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It's been that way everywhere else I've been, too. This is the only place I've been that requires a patch to tape the calls. I think it's a holdover from the old system.
Oh you fancy huh? lol
i wish we had awesome stuff like that. would make life a lot easier -.-
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Hacked it? Heck our toughbooks don't even have a firewall. There is a written policy about not using them unnecessarily but if it's remotely work related, I'm using it.
You would think it would be in the hospital's best interest to tape those calls too...