Protocol when going to ED

[Lily Dust]

$800-900 for an ambulance!! That shocks me. Is there some sort of subsidy for people on lower incomes? Or is proper emergency care only for those that can afford it? Here the ambulance is largely government/donation funded, with an $80 surcharge for medical emergencies. An accident would be covered fully by the ACC system.

Im in NSW. We called an ambulance when our planned homebirth went pear shaped (it did warrant an ambulance, we couldn't actually go the 600m). 600 metres approximately $700, bubs trip a week ago 20kms $450. No idea, how it is calculated.

[Teeki]

Maybe you used more of their stuff with the birth? Like gas or something? And the trip with DS didn't? Or maybe they consider how far to your place to begin with, but that wouldn't be fair.

[Floweryfields]

In Qld ambulance cover is included in your power bill. I didn't realise that it wasn't in all states. How much does it cost to have cover? Sounds very worth it!

[Doing my best]

In Qld ambulance cover is included in your power bill. I didn't realise that it wasn't in all states. How much does it cost to have cover? Sounds very worth it!

It isn't in the power bills anymore, it is actually paid by the state govt for qld residents.

[Floweryfields]

Oh really? Oops!

[Catastrophic]

I find it crazy that other states don't have the same deal as QLD in which all ambulance cover is already paid for (we pay a levy through our electricity) but it does mean we never have to think about cover or bills.

Now how you should get there, depends on the situation, can you get there safely by driving do it... Or if you need medical attention now call the ambulance, I have gone to hospital both ways.

The time difference... Ambulance Is quicker I have to say...

[Mother Goose]

For my little family, we call an ambulance if the person is in such severe pain that they can't manage or we can't move them because of it,

Or if they have stopped breathing or are getting less than 50% capacity in.

Or if they have lost consciousness.

Or if they are bleeding to an extent we can't control it and drive safely.

Pretty much anything else, we drive to hospital if that is what is warranted. We have called an ambulance twice - and I got asked to wait in the waiting room on one of those occasions. The one time DH has gone to emergency, I drove him and he was through very quickly.

I can say that I am yet to work in a hospital where ambulance delivered patients automatically gain priority. Patients are triaged based on clinical need - the same as those who walk in.

[Teeki]

It's interesting how they assess who goes in and when. When we took ourselves with DD, we sat in the waiting room with maybe four other patients. One must have had a head wound, he was holding a towel or something to his head. DD wasn't vomiting anymore, her temp had started to come down, she was just a bit drowsy - but it was 7pm and she was only 14 months.

Anyway, we were the last there and the first to go in. I felt awful for those who had got there before us, especially towel guy. We figured it was because of DD's age. In the end she just got some special hospital-grade panadol that led to her jumping on the bed singing half the night :/

[AnyDream]

Teeki, at our hospital there is a team that sees children only, which means kids often go through more quickly than everyone else.

[surprised]

I think those who receive certain Centrelink payments (maybe who have a Health Care Card?) are exempt from ambulance bills?

I also think you can be charged if someone else calls an ambulance for you but you refuse treatment.

It might seem like those in ambulances get in quicker, but as others have said they might just be moved so they get the stretcher back, but still wait hours to see a doc.

There have been a few times I've attended for fluids (usually during pregnancy). I always wish GPs or at least medical centres with treatment rooms could do this as I feel bad taking up a bed and their time in hospital!

[misty]

We are up at the ED a lot. We always drive ourselves, never in an ambulance. I've even driven myself up when it's been nessecary. I think driving yourself up for non life threatening emergencies is the norm, if only because of the cost.
People in an ambulance get seen quicker though.

[feeb]

People in Ambulance do NOT get seen quicker, everyone is triaged and it depends what is wrong with them and what category they are as to when they are seen. People by ambulance do generally get put onto a different trolley so that the ambulance can get theres back but they can still sit for hours waiting to be seen!! And if no trolleys left the ambulance has to stay as they can't get there trolley back!!!

[PumpkinZulu]

Yeah, I've arrived both ways multiple times, and I never got seen quicker in an ambulance. The triage system is pretty unbiased.

[Tinks]

I am surprised at the amount of people who think that if you're brought in by ambulance you're fast tracked. That's probably why our ambulances are so busy!

[~clover~]

In NSW if you're on a low income health care card or pension card you are exempt. You still get a bill, but you call them up & they clear it for you after you provide details.
In WA if you live in an isolated area, you pay around $80 a year for cover through St Johns. If you're in a city area I think you pay more, maybe a few hundred. But I don't know. I have a feeling there is nothing for city people.

The only time I've used ambulance was when DS choked on a lolly. Had a red frog stuck in his throat for about an hour all up.
And we've had a hospital transfer. There was no bill for that one.

[misty]

In regards to the ambulance being quicker, I am just going off what I was told in the ED by the doctor on a couple of occasions. It may be incorrect information, (wouldn't be the first time I've been given incorrect information), or maybe it was specific to the medical condition I was being seen for. I don't know.

[RainbowRiver]

I've driven to the hospital more then via ambulance (only twice). 1 trip by ambo was after I passed out, and stopped breathing..I was seen straight away. 2nd trip I'd been in a car accident, pretty bad burns to my neck and badly bleeding legs, I was seen over a hour after arriving at the hospital. They were flat out, but was checked on and off and had the paramedics next to me the entire time.

1st trip I never received a bill (had a HCC)
2nd trip I received a $976 bill but never paid it as TAC took care of it

[surprised]

I am surprised at the amount of people who think that if you're brought in by ambulance you're fast tracked. That's probably why our ambulances are so busy!

They should do a public awareness campaign so people don't tie ambulances up unnecessary