D.C. EMS Department Considering Uber For Transporting Some 911 Callers

[Megalith]

Officials are considering Uber and other taxi services to handle the transportation of 911 callers who aren’t in any actual emergency. Agencies in the area may get more than 20 calls a day, some of which may be as trivial as a stubbed toe.

D.C FEMS Chief Gregory Dean told News4 on Monday that the department and other D.C. officials are considering adding nurses to the 911 call center to evaluate medical needs and using vehicles other than ambulances to transport people who need to go to a doctor's office -- but not to an emergency room. "We are working with the health department to find other ways to transport people, such as using a contract taxi cab or Uber," he said. "We are trying to find creative ways to try to reduce the strain on the system." D.C. dispatched more than 160,000 responses to 911 calls for EMS in 2015. An analysis showed many of these calls were not high-priority emergencies.

 

[Twisted Kidney]

The world's most expensive healthcare system per capita is now going to need to borrow your car.

 

[Arbit3r]

Everyone calls EMS even when they don't need them, Thank Obama care for that since pretty much get free EMS ride to the hospital for what is nothing more then a cold.

 

[[Spectre]]

And then that day that someone dies in an Uber that was placed by DC FEMS because Uber drivers aren't medical professionals this blows up right in their face. Hopefully people are smart enough not to do this in their car.

 

[pothb]

Horrible idea, imo.

They don't have lights to move through traffics like a medic unit can.

 

[Arbit3r]

And then that day that someone dies in an Uber that was placed by DC FEMS because Uber drivers aren't medical professionals this blows up right in their face. Hopefully people are smart enough not to do this in their car.

Its probably gonna be used for people that don't need EMS, people with minor injuries and life isn't remotely in danger.

 

[[Spectre]]

Its probably gonna be used for people that don't need EMS, people with minor injuries and life isn't remotely in danger.

Do that often enough and someone will actually have a life threatening condition that presents mildly or has a life threatening event occur during transport for their non life threatening issue that could have been treated. It is a terrible idea.

 

[d8lock]

Everyone calls EMS even when they don't need them, Thank Obama care for that since pretty much get free EMS ride to the hospital for what is nothing more then a cold.

How long has that been in effect? I got a bill last year for the ambulance ride.

 

[krotch]

So it'll be a $15-50 Uber ride, then the hospital will charge them a $1000 bill for it. That's what I see happening.