Driving to the hospital instead of an ambulance?

[Scarpozzi]

I would weigh the options depending on how much blood loss we're really talking about and whether or not the vehicle has leather seats.

Based on the responses here on how much ambulances cost, couldn't you just Uber to the hospital? I mean, you may end up with a 1 star review for bleeding in their car, but hey!

 

[thestrangebrew1]

My FIL had a stroke 3 weeks ago and once he was stabilized in the hospital, they had to transfer him to a different one that had specialized folks. They called for an ambulance (non emergency) and they were told 6 hrs. They called a chopper and got him to his destination within 45 mins probably. I don't even know what that would cost.

 

[rasczak]

I've often wondered why people in dire need of help would not just transport someone to the hospital themselves (if able) as opposed to calling an ambulance. Doesn't it take twice as long for the ambulance, despite the fact that they can perform procedures en-route, and have sirens? Maybe I'm missing something... but at the very least I'd [carefully] run lights myself if I'm desperate.

I am faced with preparing myself should something happen while we're at a sporting event (occasional shortness of breath after kid vax'd).

You cannot stabilize an individual in a car as well as you could in an ambulance. You stand a much better chance, because they have the equipment to deal with different stages of crisis.

 

[Murloc]

in my country you usually participate in costs for the ambulance, and it's not cheap.

To be honest for an emergency situation (bleeding out, back injuries) the ambulance is better since it's a very medicalized car with a doctor (sometimes the doctor is in an accompanying car).
It's not like the ambulance in some other countries which is less medicalized, this also makes it more expensive of course, so there are some medical taxi services that take over some roles.

In more isolated areas, there are emergency posts with an ambulance-in-waiting, so the time is not so critical, and if it's really in the boonies they'll just send the helicopter.

I am insured for the helicopter as I go hiking, and the same organization also provides medical repatriation via ambulance jet so it's a no-brainer for anyone who travels to poorer countries. I am not insured for the ambulance, but I haven't needed it yet and it's cheaper to just pay the 2k I have to pay if it happens, maybe once in my life. The helicopter bill is much more expensive if they decide you can afford it.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

My FIL had a stroke 3 weeks ago and once he was stabilized in the hospital, they had to transfer him to a different one that had specialized folks. They called for an ambulance (non emergency) and they were told 6 hrs. They called a chopper and got him to his destination within 45 mins probably. I don't even know what that would cost.

Psh, just an easy-peasy $18k. Nothing substantial

When our kid was born premature, she had a non-emergency flight to a downtown hospital because the one delivered at didn't have the proper equipment to handle a 26-weeker.





To be fair though, thats just the dumb sticker price, we all know thats not the actual price. Here it is from my insurance - roughly $10k after sticker price discount of ~$8.3k

 

[rh71]

^ That must be some holy air it flew through.

Last time my kid had hives I brought him into urgent care at midnight just before closing. Since he was given epinephrine, he had to stay for observation a few hours so they called in an ambulance to take him [2 blocks down the road] to the hospital. Thankfully it was under my wife's insurance and we never even found out how much it was as we weren't "billed" for it. Now we have my crap health insurance that has a $3300 deductible to start. But that's not why I'm asking about driving vs. ambulance... if my kid needs attention asap, I only care about getting him the most optimal treatment so if that's CPR until paramedics arrive, I'm fine with that. And yes, everyone should take the 5 mins and watch a CPR/AED video at the very least.

 

[Paperdoc]

a0me0nesmind1 said, "Everyone pays for an ambulance - it's just a matter of if you pay beforehand constantly (through taxation), or if you pay only as the services are needed.' Quite true. In Canada we pay for doctors and hospitals by our taxes. Since those are high costs they do impact the taxes we pay. However, I find it fascincating that, for almost any medical procedure, we pay about HALF (or less) what Americans pay! As an older person (over 65) in Ontario, I also get really cheap (government-subsidized) prescription drugs.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Our taxes also cover lot of other stuff which Americans have to pay taxes for too. So really we don't actually pay THAT much more. I suppose if you never need an ambulance in your entire life then yeah the socialized system is costing you more, but if you need an ambulance, or even a single trip to the ER, it basically paid for itself already. Giving birth for example can cost upwards of a million dollars in the states if it's a special case where there are complications. Most people are not making that kind of money in their lifetime once you deduct taxes and other costs of living. I think there was actually someone here on this forum that went through a situation and the bill ended up hitting a million. I just can't fathom having a bill like that for anything. I suppose you can just declare bankruptcy but then you do lose your house and everything you own and can't own land for like 7 years.

My biggest complaint with high taxes is when I see the money being wasted on stupid crap. For example, Trudeau going to a maskless event outside of the country in a private jet while businesses here are forced to close or people are getting charged for talking to people in a parking lot. Or building a temporary hockey rink in Ottawa for several million dollars. Or all the money that gets sent overseas. etc.... If they would stop wasting money on stupid crap like that and also ended all the corruption such as oil industry subsidies we could actually have lower taxes.

 

[shortylickens]

a0me0nesmind1 said, "Everyone pays for an ambulance - it's just a matter of if you pay beforehand constantly (through taxation), or if you pay only as the services are needed.' Quite true. In Canada we pay for doctors and hospitals by our taxes. Since those are high costs they do impact the taxes we pay. However, I find it fascincating that, for almost any medical procedure, we pay about HALF (or less) what Americans pay! As an older person (over 65) in Ontario, I also get really cheap (government-subsidized) prescription drugs.

yeah our "free market" is horse shit.
Drug and hospital corporations have been in cahoots with the government for decades to keep prices artificially high so the top one percent can maintain their control over us. Its so bad that a lot of doctors are recommending patients fly to other nations to have surgery.

 

[MrSquished]

It's just really a thing to consider here in America. Call an ambulance or take a taxi or drive to the ER.

It's the greatest system in Earth.

 

[ptthomas]

yeah our "free market" is horse shit.
Drug and hospital corporations have been in cahoots with the government for decades to keep prices artificially high so the top one percent can maintain their control over us. Its so bad that a lot of doctors are recommending patients fly to other nations to have surgery.

and yet no alternate has come.

 

[shortylickens]

and yet no alternate has come.

False.
We have plenty of alternates.
They keep getting murdered by the "capitalists" in Washington DC and on Wall Street.

 

[rh71]

Drug and hospital corporations have been in cahoots with the government for decades to keep prices artificially high so the top one percent can maintain their control over us.

They "hire" the lobbyists...

 

[JEDI]

$50? While here they can cost as little as say $500, they can also cost you many thousands of dollars

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/ambulance-trips-can-leave-you-with-surprising--and-very-expensive--bills/2017/11/17/6be9280e-c313-11e7-84bc-5e285c7f4512_story.html

wha?
thought they cant charge for ambulance?

 

[nakedfrog]

wha?
thought they cant charge for ambulance?

Where did you get that idea? That's commie talk, son.

/s

 

[ptthomas]

False.
We have plenty of alternates.
They keep getting murdered by the "capitalists" in Washington DC and on Wall Street.

I should have said yet all alternates have been stopped.

 

[nisryus]

When my kid had an asthma episode while in a camp a few years back, his inhaler didn't helped completely and they had to call an ambulance.

It was only a 3 miles ride and after insurance and stuff, I end up paying $150 out of pocket.

 

[MtnMan]

When my kid had an asthma episode while in a camp a few years back, his inhaler didn't helped completely and they had to call an ambulance.

It was only a 3 miles ride and after insurance and stuff, I end up paying $150 out of pocket.

Your child also received trained medical care as soon as the ambulance arrived on the scene.

 

[shortylickens]

in my country you usually participate in costs for the ambulance, and it's not cheap.

To be honest for an emergency situation (bleeding out, back injuries) the ambulance is better since it's a very medicalized car with a doctor (sometimes the doctor is in an accompanying car).
It's not like the ambulance in some other countries which is less medicalized, this also makes it more expensive of course, so there are some medical taxi services that take over some roles.

In more isolated areas, there are emergency posts with an ambulance-in-waiting, so the time is not so critical, and if it's really in the boonies they'll just send the helicopter.

I am insured for the helicopter as I go hiking, and the same organization also provides medical repatriation via ambulance jet so it's a no-brainer for anyone who travels to poorer countries. I am not insured for the ambulance, but I haven't needed it yet and it's cheaper to just pay the 2k I have to pay if it happens, maybe once in my life. The helicopter bill is much more expensive if they decide you can afford it.

Everybody participates in the costs of ambulances, one way or another.
There is no such thing as "free", except for maybe sunlight.

 

[ptthomas]

When my kid had an asthma episode while in a camp a few years back, his inhaler didn't helped completely and they had to call an ambulance.

It was only a 3 miles ride and after insurance and stuff, I end up paying $150 out of pocket.

Your kid also received the 1st aid from the ambulance.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Had to take a couple Ambulance rides after some freak seizures, wife was totally out of it and in no state to drive afterward.

First, EMTs or Paramedics or whoever you get in the back of an ambulance... Those folks are some fucking professionals let me tell you hwut. Front line staff of the medical profession, and absolute fucking units every one of them.

In one of my rides, I felt like I was going to straight up die from dehydration. I was like one of those dying soldiers in a war movie, I was straight up begging for something to drink. Paramedic took pity on me even though procedurally he was not supposed to let me ingest anything, and popped open a bottle of saline water for me to take a sip of to take the edge off.

I have a Cadillac insurance plan though my work and when the Ambulance bill arrived I had to pay $10 out of a total bill of $4800. That bottle of saline the guy popped open for me to wet my lips a bit... $200 fucking dollars (I know about "real prices" etc, but imagine being stuck with that unnegotiated bill).

Anyhow, it's nuts that many ambulance companies are not municipal or subsidised by taxpayer funding, are fully private, and will go after the rider for the big bucks if there is no insurance to bill.

 

[WelshBloke]

Locally the fire department is dispatched for the simple reason they are very often the closest. EMS with paramedics is also dispatched. The care and assessment begins when they arrive.

It still weirds me out that you can phone in a medical emergency in the US and a fucking fire truck turns up!

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

It still weirds me out that you can phone in a medical emergency in the US and a fucking fire truck turns up!

And it used to be a small 'squad' truck with two members. Now due to consolidation and cost cutting measures, most of those smaller units are gone and you might get a full sized pumper or heavy rescue unit that might not even fit in your driveway

I messed up my hand a couple of years ago. Wasn't sure to what extent at the moment or if I might 'shock out' along the way if I tried to drive myself. We have two ambulance stations in this county. One is about 10 miles south of me. If they were available, they would have to drive 10 miles to me, then 20 miles north to the county hospital. The other is about 10 miles north of me. They would have to drive 10 miles south to get me, then 20 miles north to the hospital, back past their own station.

Luckily a neighbor was home and not busy, so they were able to drive me.

 

[Motostu]

And it used to be a small 'squad' truck with two members. Now due to consolidation and cost cutting measures, most of those smaller units are gone and you might get a full sized pumper or heavy rescue unit that might not even fit in your driveway

Yeah, I just witnessed this yesterday. My wife and I (along with others) were helping a cyclist that crashed badly on a downhill near our house. He was bleeding and in shock, so needed an ambulance. First thing to arrive was a full up firetruck. Not saying it's wrong, just interesting. The good thing was they were able to begin evaluating his condition and offer help in the meantime until the ambulance arrived a few minutes later.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

In many cases, they decided it was less costly overall to equip a larger rig for fire, rescue and medical than to buy, equip and staff separate rigs.