3.18.02 Responding/Handling Transports

3.18.2 Responding-Handling Transports   (Revised 10/2023)

OVERVIEW

When a unit is notified of or dispatched to a call, the Amerimed associates are to respond immediately. Notification is to be made by two-way radio only. Field Operations associates are NOT to call the requesting facility, family member, or the Amerimed Communication Center unless specifically directed to do so by the Amerimed Communication Center and/or Amerimed Management. If you have a question or require additional information, advise the Amerimed Communication Center and they will obtain the needed information.

SECTION A

All calls will be officially dispatched via two-way radio to ensure the time stamp of dispatch is recorded. All requests for transport will be dispatched by MEDCOMM to the closest available, appropriate level, (ALS, BLS, SCT, MIH, CP unit etc.) unit, without intervention from Field Operations.

Units should advise their location when contacted by the Amerimed Communication Center.

Once dispatched, the field operations associates should repeat the location of the request to ensure the call information is understood and advise when they are en-route.

Units should be en-route to requests as follows:

• Priority One: (Presumptive Emergency) – Within 2 minutes
• Priority Two: (Presumptive Urgent / ASAP) – Within 5 minutes
• Priority Three: (Presumptive Routine / Prescheduled” – Adequate time to ensure unit is at patient’s side on time.

SECTION B

Field Operations associates are to be en-route to calls at the time dispatched as described above. If a request is received prior to a scheduled end of shift time, it is ultimately the responsibility of an ON-DUTY crew assigned to the request to respond. Waiting for incoming personnel is prohibited.

Shift Commanders cannot delay a response. General Managers and above (or other OCE approved managers) are the only members of management that can authorize to hold, delay, decline, reassign, cancel or interfere with the proper dispatch of field units for any transport request. Such changes should be noted in CAD as authorized per ________ (name/ID of Manager).

Amerimed Communication Center will make every effort to coordinate transports to be completed by the end of the field crew’s scheduled end of shift. However, all field crews are subject to holdover up to a maximum of two hours past their scheduled end of shift time.

If management determines that a transport will require the field operations associates to arrive back at their station more than two hours past their scheduled end of shift, the associates will be ASKED

if they are available to complete the transport. To determine if a call can be handled within the allowed holdover time, see below:

Calculating Drive Time:  Google Maps is mapping system of choice.

The following times should be used to calculate Drive Time:

• Drive time from Station or Destination of previous call or Posting location to Scene
• 30 minutes allowed for Pick-up Time
• Drive Time from Scene to Destination
• 30 minutes allowed for Drop-off Time
• 15 minutes for fuel stop
• Drive Time back to Unit’s Station
• 15 minute deactivation time

Once trip time is calculated, MedComm will refer to “Call Handling Time-Table” to determine if unit is appropriate for transport.

Consider traffic patterns, time of day and day of week when trip time is calculated for actual time of trip. Note when trip time is calculated, it may not be the actual time that trip takes place.

If the field operations crew cannot complete the transport within the 2-hour hold over, and crew declines the transport, they will be instructed to return to their base station and clock out. In addition, if within the last 2-hours of shift end time, a crew is not on or does not have a call pending, that crew may be instructed to return to their base station and clock out.

SECTION C

Amerimed Communication Center will check the status of field units at various times throughout the course of a transport. If at any time a unit is going to be delayed at a location more than (20) twenty minutes, the Unit must contact the Amerimed Communication Center to notify them of the delay.