- 8,009
- 58
- 48
I'm seeing an increasing trend in my county for the community hospitals (all rather large, all with CT and other "up-to-date" stuff) to refuse to accept a patient that even comes close to maybe meeting the low end of the Trauma Triage scores and injuries. We are anywhere from 5-15 minutes to the local ED, and 35+ to the closest trauma center by ground, on a good day, in the right end of our turf.
I've been hearing BLS crews tranporting these patients who "Need a trauma evaluation" without medics. I asked an EMT who ran one of these... BS MVC, "The Doc states Pt. needs a trauma Evaluation, but not ALS."
Also, seeing an increase of the 35-45 minute grounding to Trauma Centers by ALS crews, depriving my hometown of an ambulance and Medic for 90+ minutes while they go and play trauma, as opposed to transferring care to aeromedical (really fast ALS ambulance with cool drugs... no more) and being clear in 30 or 45 minutes. this is on CLEAR DAYS - not nasty foggy ones. And it isn't because aeromedical isn't availible, it's the Doc's choice....
Oh, I didn't mention. we have 3 helicopters in the county, 2 of which are based in our local (or on the borderline). The county flies about 400 pt's a year, I think... mybe closer to 600, but still - 2 flights a day.
I thought all Trauma Transports and Alerts should be ALS.
Anyone else see this?
Jon
I've been hearing BLS crews tranporting these patients who "Need a trauma evaluation" without medics. I asked an EMT who ran one of these... BS MVC, "The Doc states Pt. needs a trauma Evaluation, but not ALS."
Also, seeing an increase of the 35-45 minute grounding to Trauma Centers by ALS crews, depriving my hometown of an ambulance and Medic for 90+ minutes while they go and play trauma, as opposed to transferring care to aeromedical (really fast ALS ambulance with cool drugs... no more) and being clear in 30 or 45 minutes. this is on CLEAR DAYS - not nasty foggy ones. And it isn't because aeromedical isn't availible, it's the Doc's choice....
Oh, I didn't mention. we have 3 helicopters in the county, 2 of which are based in our local (or on the borderline). The county flies about 400 pt's a year, I think... mybe closer to 600, but still - 2 flights a day.
I thought all Trauma Transports and Alerts should be ALS.
Anyone else see this?
Jon