Dispatch yesterday was fantastic. She was professional, answered the questions I had pertaining to…read morean ETA for which a loved one was being picked up from a SNF and transported to a hospital for emergent care that was labeled non-emergency due to the hospital preference being outside of the area. The issue that came into play was an EMT wrongfully assessing the patient's cognition, using the patient's personal cell phone to contact me, rather than his own device, then telling me that he could not transport the patient to the hospital, per the SNF's and doctor's order because the patient said they don't 'need' to be hospitalized. Patient was impaired, so they did not know what their needs were. EMT lied and said the patient correctly answered the four questions they asked, one of which is 'what year is it'. Meanwhile, when the patient was at the hospital, they first answered that question with their birth year, then they answered '1994' the second time they were asked. Patient was clearly disoriented even after having received some medical attention. The EMT also badmouthed one of the nurses at the SNF. I am to believe a significantly younger, inexperienced EMT knows more than a seasoned LVN who has been working with the patient for the last 6-weeks? Absolutely not. Little did the EMT know, the LVN had already apprised me of the issues LVN had with the EMT's assessment of the patient when the EMT does not know the patient, nor the patient's history, which includes a TBI. The EMT not only thinks he can better assess the patient's cognition than a LVN, but a doctor who is a partner in one of the largest hospitals in the country and had been actively diagnosing, assessing and treating patient, successfully, for weeks.
When I called and attempted to convey my issues with the EMT's conduct to a supposed supervisor at Ambulife, all he did was argue and attempt to defend the EMT. Deflection tactics stronger than his moral compass and professionalism. Thankfully, I have the legal right to make decisions for patient re: their medical care. Had I not thought to apprise the EMTs of this, the patient would have still been at the SNF, 3-days later. The only reason Ambulife's services were enlisted is the patient is not mobile at present. Had they been, I would have picked them up in my own vehicle and transported them myself.
Did the EMTs pick the patient up in a timely manner? They arrived at the facility within the ETA, but rather than listen to the patient's advocate and medical staff at the SNF, the EMT chose to argue with both, thus delaying timely transport. He was arrogant and unprofessional, hence my reason for calling Ambulife to report the interaction.
Would I recommend Ambulife? No, not after the EMT's unprofessional conduct and his so-called supervisor being condescending and disrespectful during the call I placed to inform him of his employee's actions. Patient made it safely to the hospital, despite the argumentative, unprofessional EMT - all praise due to GOD.
