Thanks for the help, it’s amazing how protocols are so different here then it was in Omaha, NE. In Omaha, all medical calls to 911 were handled by Omaha Fire and transported by the same to one of the many hospitals, two of which were trauma centers.
I had my first personal experience here in Springfield with 911 services. I was at a large shopping complex where Best Buy is located. I was there for a long brisk walk from one end of the complex to the other but I was out by the curb so that if people would walk out of one of the many doors from the stores I would not get hit by the door. Well, I tripped off the curb and fell into one of those black trash containers that don’t move. I hit my head, but the bleeding would not stop because I am on a blood thinner. Somebody stopped and could see my problem, they ask if I wanted 911 services, I replied yes, so they were called, I heard the person tell them that the bleeding would not stop and that I was on a blood thinner. It took the medic unit 16 minutes to arrive, they did not expedite, in all this time people kept giving me material to put pressure on my head wound because the bleeding would just not stop…..not pleased with the time it took!
Once at Cox hospital, they called it a trauma event, once the medics transferred me from their stretcher to the emergency department bed, there were two RN’s with me immediately, and the physician walked in 15 seconds after they did. I just don’t understand why out in the field, when info is given to the 911 people that it involved a head injury, individual is on a blood thinner, and the bleeding will not stop, that the same term (trauma event) would not mean the same as in a hospital. While I lived in Omaha for all of my life, with the exception of three years here in Nixa, I worked as a Manager for hospital security services for twenty five years and was with a VFD for ten years. When the city would dispatch emergency services to an incident, it was always a priority 1 and when they did, an engine company would always respond with the medic (Paramedics) unit, now, once the medic unit arrived at the scene, a assessment was made of the patient and according to protocol, weather they would transport to the hospital a priority 1 or just roll normally. I would have hoped that at least a Springfield engine company would have responded.
So, my opinion, the response could have been better based on what was told to the 911 operator. This would have never happened in Omaha because protocol is different then what it is down here. I would imagine St Louis and Kansas City would have similar protocol as Omaha but not sure, maybe someone knows? I only pray that I don’t have another medical emergency in Springfield when I am traversing the city because my confidence is a little thin on the type of response…..oh, before I forget, 15 stitches in my head and a $2200.00 trip to the hospital (that’s just the transportation).
Sorry, if this was not the proper forum place for this….