Ambulance question

[Kefir King]

Again all EMTs engage in sort of triage; they will determine the nature of severity then make decisions.

Do bribes enter the equation? A patient brought into a hospital can result in tens of thousands being billed. These decisions involve BIG money.


Remember the TV series called THE KNICK where all the NYC ambulance drivers were on the take, making good money from bribes from hospital administrators? Fact or fiction?

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by Kefir King

Do bribes enter the equation? A patient brought into a hospital can result in tens of thousands being billed. These decisions involve BIG money.


Remember the TV series called THE KNICK where all the NYC ambulance drivers were on the take, making good money from bribes from hospital administrators? Fact or fiction?

Why would it? Unless the person in question is also going to disclose what type of insurance and or financial situation EMT has no idea nor would a hospital.


Depending upon what is wrong with you it could be some time before anyone at the hospital's ER or elsewhere gets around to asking about payment. However once you are in that ER you become the responsibility of said facility.


The remark has often been made that the only way uninsured, Medicaid, poor, or whatever persons are going to get into the top private hospitals (Lenox Hill, NYP, Mount Sinai, etc... ) is via the ER.


People of means who don't want to be in a certain hospital can arrange a transfer afterwards. Depending upon what sort of emergency caused them to be brought to the ER via ambulance they can either discharge themselves and quickly be readmitted to whatever hospital through their own physician. Or once their condition is stable enough arrange for a transfer via ambulance.


All this being said I'd offer whatever it took in at least an attempt not to be taken to some places; Lincoln hospital in the Bronx would be one.

[willdogs]

Originally Posted by Chava61

I was asked by the ambulance "workers"

They are Emergency medical technicians and/or Paramedics.

Why would you call them "workers" as if they have no skill to save your life?

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by willdogs

They are Emergency medical technicians and/or Paramedics.

Why would you call them "workers" as if they have no skill to save your life?

I put the word "workers" in quotation marks as I couldn't think of at that moment the most appropriate term as I didn't want to use driver, etc. (This happens when one is tired and is fluent in more than one language.)

As for the issue of the choice of hospital, of course depending the situation and type medical emergency, it makes sense sometimes for the ambulance emergency personnel to make the decision where to take the patient and that would normally be the closest location that can treat the particular type of medical condition especially if the patient can't be asked (because they are unconscious, etc.

[martinjsxx]

Originally Posted by sam007

folks

Do the 911-directed ambulances take you to any hospital or only the nearest one?

Also, is it worthwhile using some emergency phone numbers provided by hospitals like LIJ instead of 911

Thx

I've heard some people have asked to go to a specific hospital in the same general area, for example going to Winthrop rather than LIJ. As far as calling LIJ directly, I don't think they routinely dispatch ambulances if you call them. At least I've never heard of anyone doing that. You can call the volunteer ambulance service in your area if you have one, but once or twice when I've had to call them for a family member they were closed and I got a recording.

Last week one of my neighbors fell ill and two FDNY ambulances showed up. I don't know why they dispatched two ambulances for one person who was alert and moving and talking.