THE PUBLIC MIND: AMBULANCE SERVICE PLRESIDENT RESPONDS

To the Editor:

I read a comment from a caller to your Speak Out column in the June 29 edition of your paper which I feel warrants a response. The caller was expressing dismay at Cape County Private Ambulance Service, in regard to the recent responses of the Cape Fire Department to medical assistance calls.

The ambulance service has been using the Emergency Medical Priority Dispatch System for over two years with great success. The system uses dispatchers trained in collecting important medical information from the caller and giving pre-arrival instructions to the caller. The public sees this system dramatized weekly on the TV show "Emergency 911." Locally, the system has benefited many, an example of which was reported by David Hente of the Southeast Missourian on July 25, 1991, headlined "Noted Dispatch System Utilized Here."

About seven weeks ago the ambulance service was approached by the Fire Department about instituting a first responder role for the Fire Department. The ambulance service generally agreed to the concept. We assumed the role would be as defined in the Emergency Medical Priority Dispatch system. That has not been the case.

Approximately four weeks ago, the Cape Fire Department started responding to 911 calls for medical assistance. The decision to start responding originated from within the city administration. The ambulance service was not made aware of the decision to start until after the fact. Sadly, the city has decided not to utilize the experience, resources or training of the ambulance service dispatchers or the Emergency Medical Priority Dispatch System. As a result, the Fire Department has responded inappropriately to some medical assistance calls. Furthermore, as a result of the procedures put into place by the city, some 911 calls for emergency ambulance service have been lost or delayed in being passed through to the ambulance service. This has resulted in delays in the dispatch and arrival of fully equipped paramedic ambulance units to the scene of some emergencies. These delays have also negatively affected the ambulance service dispatchers' ability to provide timely and helpful information to callers.

As the caller correctly stated, Cape County Private Ambulance Service does contract with Cape County to provide service to the entire county, including the city of Cape Girardeau. The contract has specific performance criteria which the service meets. The service also meets or exceeds all the standards and rules applied by the Bureau of EMS, Missouri Department of Health. We are committed to providing the highest level of care and take pride in doing so. In no way do we require the assistance of the Cape Fire Department to meet these standards. We are, however, committed to exploring ways of increasing the level of care to the citizens of Cape Girardeau, including working with the Fire Department. We are trying to work with the Cape city dispatchers to correct the shortcomings of the recently enacted procedures. Until then, I remind readers that in any emergency, from any location in the county, the ambulance service may be reached directly by dialing our emergency number 335-3305.

John J. Russell, M.D.

President

Cape County Private

Ambulance Service, Inc.

Cape Girardeau