Guest guest Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 Displacing segments of the EMS market, for whatever reason, carries inherent risks. In this instance, the demand is exceeding the ability of a provider to absorb a foreseeable increase. Rather than putting up more unit hours and demanding additional monies to meet the challenge (thereby shifting the burden of responsibility to the contracting geopolitical entities), this provider is choosing to transfer the blame on the consuming public. Call demographics and clinical presentations have changed little in the past 40 years. There has always been a certain segment that has used EMS for reasons not wholly consistent with the ideologies of those who provide it. To me, they represent the " least among us " , rather than a group of people who knowingly " abuse " our noble services. For the most part, they simply don't know any better. Yet, they are most often the sickest population we serve. To blame them is a historical lost cause. HANLON'S RAZOR: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. Why stop at suspected swine flu calls? By extension, and in the good names of cost containment and inadequate staffing, why not call taxi's for the 95% of all calls which are not life-tthreatening emergencies? If one can accurately predict the long term prognosis of a flu victim, why not extend those clairvoyant benefits to to the rest of the EMS consumers? Look at all the money we could save - and all of those pesky EMS jobs we could eliminate! In the final analysis, I believe that the value of EMS will be predicated on how we best treat the " least among us. " Making decisions on who warrants our services by degrees of sickness or ability to pay deprives EMS of any claim to a moral, ethical and societal higher ground. If indeed EMS is the new " health care safety net " , then we only need to make sure that it remains intact. Knowingly poking holes in it, for the sake of operational inadequacies, only serves to lessen our value as a whole. (Short Version) If you're unable or unwilling to meet the EMS demand, then step to the side and let someone else do the job. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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