Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ems Transports topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Carroll County court reviews letter limiting EMS transports to out-of-county residences
Summary
County staff described operational problems when ambulances transport patients from Carroll County Hospital to out-of-county homes and said the court drafted a letter asking that local services handle return transports.
Carroll County Fiscal Court members and staff discussed operational concerns with out-of-county ambulance transports originating from Carroll County Hospital and described a draft letter intended to limit such transfers.
Court staff said the county has encountered repeated calls that send local crews on long returns when patients are discharged to residences in other counties. Those responses have sometimes left local ambulances out of service for extended periods, complicating local coverage and vehicle maintenance.
An EMS speaker described a recent incident in which a crew arrived at a home with multiple interior levels and barriers for wheelchair access and the family would not answer the phone as the crew attempted to return the patient, leaving the crew out of service. That speaker characterized the call as “a big issue” that was unnecessary and raised safety concerns for crews sent into unfamiliar areas.
Court staff said the county has drafted a letter stating that when a discharge originates at Carroll County Hospital and the patient’s residence is in another jurisdiction, the patient’s local ambulance service should be called to provide the return transport. The court said this is not a total ban on transfers but an operational clarification to avoid extended out-of-service times and potential unpaid calls.
No formal motion or vote on a policy change was recorded in the transcript; the discussion in the meeting indicated staff had prepared the letter and brought the issue to the court to make the court aware of the operational problem.
