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Calling the Ambulance—Q & AHere are the answers on how to handle a medical emergency
Call 9-1-1 if someone is:
You know what to do in a medical emergency: “Call 9-1-1. It’s the fastest way to get emergency care,” says Andrew Miller, D.O., emergency physician at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Beyond that, though, you may have lots of questions… Q. When should I call 9-1-1? A. “Call as soon as the thought enters your mind,” says Miller’s colleague, family medicine physician Mark Wendling, M.D. “Don’t debate whether it’s necessary to call 9-1-1. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” In fact, call 9-1-1 anytime you feel that you or someone else needs to get to the hospital immediately. Never drive yourself—it could be a significant danger to you, your loved ones or the community. Q. What happens when I call? A. You’ll talk to a “call taker” at your local 9-1-1 communication center. “They’ll ask where you are and what’s wrong,” says Alan Heckman, program coordinator with the hospital’s Emergency Medicine Institute. “They’re trained to give medical instructions over the phone.” The call taker will relay information to a dispatcher, who’ll send an ambulance from the company that covers the area where your emergency is located. Dispatchers are like air traffic controllers. They know whom to send based on predefined service areas. If all your local ambulance crews are busy, dispatchers will send the ambulance company that backs up your local company. Q. What should I do while waiting for the ambulance? A. Stay calm, especially if a child is involved. (Children get very upset when they see worried adults.) Assure the patient that help is on the way. Turn on the porch light, and if possible, send someone outside to flag down the ambulance crew. Secure pets so they don’t get in the way. Q. What should I do when the ambulance arrives? A. Tell the crew what happened prior to its arrival and everything you know about the patient’s medical condition. If you live alone or have a history of health problems, you can save precious time by having a written medical history posted on the fridge. The list should include the patient’s:
“People with heart problems should keep a copy of their most recent EKG (electrocardiogram), so emergency doctors can compare it to a new one,” Miller says. Q. Where will the ambulance take me? A. If you have a serious injury or burn, you’ll be taken to the nearest trauma or burn center (for our region, Lehigh Valley Hospital). If not, the choice is up to you. When crew members ask, tell them which hospital you want. Q. How will I pay for it? A. Medicare and most insurance policies cover emergency transport. “It’s important to understand what your policy does and doesn’t cover,” says Larry Wiersch, Cetronia Ambulance Corps executive director. “Try to anticipate your health care needs and ask your agent if your policy covers those.” Most policies have a deductible for an ambulance call. However, if you pay a membership fee to an ambulance company, you won’t be charged for the amount your insurance doesn’t cover after your deductible is met. Most important, don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 because of worry about paying the bill. “Worry about getting better first,” Wiersch says. Most ambulance companies will provide the care you need and then work with you to determine an affordable payment plan. Want to Know More? To learn what first responders, EMTs and paramedics do, or to get a list of heart attack and stroke symptoms, call 610-402-CARE. Published from Healthy You Magazine, May-June 2008 This page last updated 4/20/08 09:07 PM
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