You would think that most people know when it’s appropriate to call 911 for an ambulance. But ask most ambulance crews, and you might be surprised at their response. People seem to know that if they are transported by ambulance, emergency-room doctors will see them faster than if they drove themselves in.
Five years ago, Jim Judge — executive director of Lake–Sumter EMS in Lake County, Fla. — grew frustrated with the number of complaints he heard from dispatchers, paramedics, EMTs and even the billing office about the increasing number of non-emergency calls that needlessly were detaining ambulances. He decided to launch a campaign designed to educate the public about the correct use of ambulances for emergency calls. He spent $30,000 to develop billboards, flyers and posters, and launch www.whentocall911.com, which not only stresses the importance of when to call, but also explains what happens when a call is received and what to do while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
“We have done a terrific job of educating people to call 911, and they have taken us up on it,” Judge said. “We haven’t had any complaints, and this program has been running for years. Once you explain it to people, people understand.”
The ambulance abuses aren’t a problem just for Lake County. Judge has been working with agencies in New Jersey, Colorado and Virginia to adopt the “When to Call 911” campaign, and the website has had hits from all over the world, including in Germany, Brazil and Dubai.
“We’re happy to share with anyone who wants to adopt it,” Judge said.
Shortly after the first billboard went up near the highway in Mount Dora, Fla., Judge got a visit from a reporter from Orlando, who seemed ready to blast Judge for dissuading real emergency calls. So Judge took the reporter to the communications center to talk to the 911 dispatchers and hear their stories of non-emergency ambulance calls. Callers who “needed” ambulances had everything from in-grown toenails to ticks that needed removing. Judge then took the reporter to meet with paramedics and EMTs, who expressed frustration over non-emergency calls that tied up the ambulance, making it unavailable for serious medical conditions.
“By the six o’clock news the reporter, was explaining the problems of using the ambulance service for non-emergency calls,” Judge said.
However, there is another side to the story. Judge received a call from a reporter in the Tampa Bay area, where some local agencies don’t want to adopt Judge’s educational program for fear it will reduce their call volume and result in budget cuts.
In fact. Lake–Sumter EMS just last week became Lake EMS, after one of the two counties it covered switched to a private ambulance company as part of a cost-saving initiative, according to news reports.
“We’re not-for-profit and work closely with our fire departments and have an incredible system,” Judge said.
Despite the convenience of walk-in clinics in pharmacies and big-box stores, hospital waiting rooms are more crowded than ever. I’ve even noticed that some suburban hospitals now offer the opportunity to text the emergency room and find out what the waiting time is in order to alleviate long wait times.
Does your department have a problem with non-emergency calls? Tell us how you handle them in the comment box below.
