Controlling EMS in Wappinger (Dutchess County)

[Guest Orpi442]

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Law to cut ambulance confusion

Responders must check in with 911

By Michael

Woyton

Poughkeepsie Journal

WAPPINGERS FALLS - When it comes to

ambulance service, Wappinger residents can now be certain they are getting what

they pay for.

Last week, the town board passed a law

requiring any ambulance company that receives a request for emergency service to

notify the Dutchess County 911 dispatcher before sending out an

ambulance.

"We are very protective about who is

responding," Supervisor Joseph Ruggiero said, "and we are very proud of the

service we give to our folks."

In 2005, the town signed

a five-year, $395,000 contract with TransCare Hudson Valley. They provide two

ambulances and crews for advanced life support and one ambulance for basic life

support.

Reach Michael Woyton at

mwoyton@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-451-4518.

-

Hmmm. Interesting article. Seem that a town wishes to have more control. Plus good plug for Transcare.

[Guest]

Hey Opie...question if you know the answer:

What if a person wants to call a private ambulance for transport, the private calls the 911 center and 911 says they will dispatch Transcare, the other agency now loses the call? That wouldn't seem right to me.

[229909 0]

Hey Opie...question if you know the answer:

What if a person wants to call a private ambulance for transport, the private calls the 911 center and 911 says they will dispatch Transcare, the other agency now loses the call? That wouldn't seem right to me.

Hey X710 if a person calls a private ambulance and they call 911 to let them know there going to that call you have the right not to go with the other agency its your choice who you want for treatment .

[RWC130 594]

Why does the County, Town, Village feel the need to "Control" EMS?

Are things out of control?

Or is this really about they like TransCare (which is fine) and wanna screw other EMS commercial providers who get calls?

Such as Empress, Empire, Regional, Mobile Life, Alamo, NDP, ETC....

C'MON!!!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[20y2 43]

Hey Opie...question if you know the answer:

What if a person wants to call a private ambulance for transport, the private calls the 911 center and 911 says they will dispatch Transcare, the other agency now loses the call? That wouldn't seem right to me.

Long Island has had the rule for years. It doesn't mean that they will send someone, it only means that 911 will keep a log of the call and the times in case it ever comes up as a problem.

[x129K 1,393]

I read the article and was confused as well....

The line that got me;

"Our residents are pretty much guaranteed that the ambulance responds in five minutes or less," Ruggiero said

Some day....someome will have to eat those words.....

[x129K 1,393]

It's called MICROMANAGEMENT Tom.......

[CPFD91206 0]

The town board passed a law requiring any ambulance company that receives a request for emergency service to notify the Dutchess County 911 dispatcher before sending out an ambulance.

The proposed legislation grew out of an incident when two ambulance services were called for an injured party. One was called directly; the other was dispatched through 911.

This law will eliminate confusion," Ruggiero said, and ensure the proper level of care is sent for the emergency.

"If you dial 911, they know where the call is coming from and dispatch what is necessary," he said

Having the ambulance and crew dispatched by 911 also provides data about the call, including response times, he said

This is a progressive step forward in the EMS industry.

It will keep EMS agency on their toes by providing accurate coverage which OTHERS haven't done in the past.

Their response times will be documented through one central place, DC911, and that will probably be the stats that they go by rather than the EMS agency.

Several times in the past OTHER agencies use "their" times so they can be within the "5 Minute" response contract. They wait til DC911 dispatches then dispatch their unit ( saves a minute or two) then instructs their unit to call on scene with them PRIOR to DC911 and theres another minute so now they fall within the contract response times. If you ever get a response sheet from a commercial agency they will ALMOST always never show the "seconds" column where as DC911 will and when comparing run sheets you see the time difference!

Way to go Wappingers !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JetPhoto 626]

I am a town of Wappinger resident and I think this law is BS. This was pushed by the same dictator that wants to be county executive. If someone wants to use ambulance service B instead of A then they should be able to do so. If the person wants to pay out of their own pocket for service from B then let them do so. This is America!

[RWC130 594]

Several times in the past OTHER agencies use "their" times so they can be within the "5 Minute" response contract. They wait til DC911 dispatches then dispatch their unit ( saves a minute or two) then instructs their unit to call on scene with them PRIOR to DC911 and theres another minute so now they fall within the contract response times. If you ever get a response sheet from a commercial agency they will ALMOST always never show the "seconds" column where as DC911 will and when comparing run sheets you see the time difference!

LT,

With all due respect... If an EMS agency or unit is going to "mark up" response times on paper or on the air

with any dispatcher don't you think that can still happen?

Is it really that big of a deal if I am on scene at 1706 HRS or 1706 HRS and 21 SECONDS?

NYS DOH Bureau of EMS does not require SECONDS for any response times or VITAL SIGNS

of the patient on the State PCR's.

If I were to call on scene on my company radio 1st and then to DC911 on the county radio and it shows

Unit XX on scene with company at 1706 HRS and 21 SECONDS but with the county 1706 HRS and 26 SECONDS

does that mean I lied? or just didn't switch channels fast enough on the radio?

For the record I do not work for a Commercial EMS agency so I honestly could care less.

I just think something smells VERY FISHY with this.

Just for a little laugh... Remember the scene from the movie Mother, Juggs, and Speed with Bill Cosby

F & B Ambulance Service? Bill says to the Unity Ambulance Driver "That is our patient" and the Unity Driver says

"No way other, this is our patient" Bill then says "Now how are you gonna transport that patient with 2 flat tires" ? LOL

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Excuse me for being a little confused here...but some of you are asking why a town is being so involved in EMS. Then on the Putnam County thread you say that they have no clue? Which one is it or is there always some so called happy medium that exists?

Wappingers has always been involved and on top of what goes on with the ambulance services they contract with. They had response and ambulance staffing requirements in their contract and I applaud them for checking on whether or not this was fulfilled. They did it with Sloper, they did it with Alamo when they absorbed the contract when they bought out Sloper and they dumped Wappingers empty all the time and that is why TransCare is there now.

I think the point being made about response times is DC911 has no reason to fudge numbers. Those keeping their own logs and CADS can. I agree RWC...the seconds thing is a mute point. However the private companies on a private transport when I worked in Dutchess didn't mark out with DC911. Even when they did or do, you mark out with your agency first and let's just say I've seen some "on-scene" callouts where you couldn't see the ambulance and when you did it was a bit later. Not to be a stickler but a response requirement is a response requirement and you should try to meet it by average. Then again like many an article asks "what is a response time?" Time of unit arrival from dispatch? Or time of patient contact from dispatch?

[MerlinMedic 5]

I find it interesting that TransCare is not supposed to bill residents of Wappingers; that the taxes pay for it. I have always been told that is called MediCare fraud. The rule being: if you bill one person, you bill them all, and you bill them the same way. Soft/hard, just be consistent.

Anyone know more on this?

[OoO 24]

I find it interesting that TransCare is not supposed to bill residents of Wappingers; that the taxes pay for it. I have always been told that is called MediCare fraud. The rule being: if you bill one person, you bill them all, and you bill them the same way. Soft/hard, just be consistent.

Anyone know more on this?

I imagine that you are not charged if the ambulance repsonds to anywhere in Wappingers, reguardless of where you live.

[RescueKujo 130]

I find it interesting that TransCare is not supposed to bill residents of Wappingers; that the taxes pay for it. I have always been told that is called MediCare fraud. The rule being: if you bill one person, you bill them all, and you bill them the same way. Soft/hard, just be consistent.

Anyone know more on this?

Merlin,

I live in an area where our fire medics are paid for in our property taxes. If you are a citizen in the service area, your insurance is billed and they take that as payment. If you are not a citizen, if your insurance does not cover the entire bill, you get billed for the remainder.

[MerlinMedic 5]

Merlin,

I live in an area where our fire medics are paid for in our property taxes. If you are a citizen in the service area, your insurance is billed and they take that as payment. If you are not a citizen, if your insurance does not cover the entire bill, you get billed for the remainder.

I understand that part, governments aren't "billing", it is called "revenue recovery" -- almost the same, but different names. Also, in your case both residents & non-residents insurance gets billed, I imagine if a residents insurance didn't pay the bill, they would still get the bill, but typaclly governments don't send the un paid bill to collections. Although I have been told the Town of Colonie does send unpaid bills to collevtion, & they are a tax district.

I am not sure if it was a mis quote from the paper & that TransCare does "bill" the resident's insurance & the unpaid remainder is paid for out of taxes or if there is no bill at all for Wappingers residents, but non-residents get billed. That is where I am confused.

[JTF429 37]

:angry: I feel I have to put in my 2 cents. This came about because of a call in the town were a customer on scene called the 7 digit number for their agency and a employee called 911. The comercial agency arrived 1st. There was some confussion when Wappingers ambulance and the F.D. arrived. The main concern was what happens when a commecial ambulane is called in the town and 911 is not. Then the 1st responder program with the other agency's does not happen. If a town resident wants to call service xyz for transportation to the hospital from home great. I would hope that company xyz has dispatchers that will ask some questions and if there are priority symptoms than they will turn it over to 911 as they are going to the scene so the patient recives the best care. I think it is great that the Town Board takes such an interest in EMS. If they didn't then they never do anything. Since they do they are micro managers run by a dictator. Response times in the town are great on the average 5 minutes or less. This is not rocket science honor the contract and dedicate ambulances and you too can have great response times. This comes for a price and as a taxpayer I will take the increase in my ambulance tax for this service. I have had to call them three times since they took over and the service they provide is excellent. I am not familar with other towns, but I am glad my elected members take an interest in this one.

[tdc202 0]

Well said JTF. I also think that the Poughkeepsie Urinal's story is very confusing being that they left out certain parts of the incident being mentioned. to further add to it that if pt. A wants xyz ambulance and it is rolled over to DC911 and ABC ambulance arrives as part of a contract then they can still request transport by xyz ambulance and have to sign a RMA for ABC ambulance. Another part to add is that the origianl call in that incident should have called 911 1st and maybe the town board and first responders can conduct a campaign to educate the public to call 911.

Just my thoughts

[Guest alsfirefighter]

JTF: That has to be one of the best rebuttal posts I've seen in quite some time. Very well put. Thanks for sparking my interest in wanting to find out the whole story about that incident. Apparantly I still don't know as much as I thought. Particularly the call making thing. You actually confused me a bit more on that one. lol.