01 June, 2013: The hospital and fire department of the town of Alameda, in San Francisco, California (USA), are preparing to expand the non-emergency-service transport contract they provide to patients who have appointments to keep or need to be treated at other health facilities.
The matter was up for discussion at the Alameda City Council on the 21st of the month, and all signs pointed to it being approved.
The transport contract in question had its start in July 2012, as a two-year pilot programme destined to generate revenue for the hospital and the fire department. Since then, the maximum number of transports a month has been 57, with the minimum standing at zero (for the month of February of this year.)
This was partially due to unclear terms in the original contract, which saw the district hire third-party ambulances to handle these transports. The new, recently penned deal removes this problem by handling gurney and wheelchair transport back to the fire department, thus eliminating the need for middlemen.
The third-party entities will, however, remain in retainer, in case the department finds itself overwhelmed.
Aside from serving as a source of revenue and a means to justify the acquisition of life support equipment by the fire department, this programme is likely to offer job opportunities for both medical staff and trainee fire officers.
The department is planning to assign a number of emergency medical officers to this service, and a spokesperson has hailed this service as a potential training ground for future fire department recruits.
Aside from the “taxi” service to and from appointments in other facilities, the Alameda non-emergency transport service will also offer standby services for large events and CPR training.
Under the new agreement, a critical care trip would cost $838, while a non-emergency ride would cost approximately $258. Gurney transport would cost $120 and a wheelchair transport no more than $35.
Additional charges for mileage and waiting times would also apply, all of which would constitute funding for the Alameda fire department’s flailing ambulance service.
For information on transport contract matters, contact Haulage Exchange at www.haulageexchange.co.uk or 020 8896 6725.
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