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Resident recounts prolonged delays and transfer problems with county ambulance service
Summary
During public comment a resident recounted multiple ambulance and hospital-transfer delays affecting his wife and urged the commissioners to convene meetings with Woodlawn Hospital and the ambulance provider.
FULTON COUNTY, Ind. — A Fulton County resident told commissioners on July 7 that multiple delays and transfer decisions by ambulance providers and hospital transfer centers caused prolonged waits and extra travel for urgent care, and urged county leaders to investigate.
Scott Milby (identified in the meeting as a member of the public) described five ambulance rides this year and a May 15 incident in which his wife required emergency surgery after a perforated ulcer. He said the couple waited many hours for a transfer to Fort Wayne and that an outside ambulance ultimately arrived from Indianapolis. Milby said the delay extended his wife's recovery and increased their out-of-pocket costs.
"We was there at 11:30 in the morning, and she couldn't get a ride to Fort Wayne till 09:30 at night," Milby said during the meeting. He also said nonemergency transfers and the county's current practices meant residents sometimes incur large bills for out-of-county transport.
Dispatch and hospital officials who spoke at the meeting explained that 911 calls and in-hospital transfer requests follow different procedures: dispatch handles emergency 911 responses while hospitals or transfer centers arrange nonemergency transports. Commissioners said they would try to facilitate a meeting among the resident, Woodlawn Hospital staff and the county-contracted ambulance service to clarify processes and address concerns.
Why it matters: Residents rely on timely ambulance responses and predictable transfer arrangements during emergencies. The commenter asked the commissioners to convene relevant parties to review response protocols and clarify which entities arrange transfers and how destination decisions are made.
After the comment, commissioners offered to exchange contact information and attempt to arrange meetings that include Woodlawn and the ambulance provider.
