A joint message from SOMC and Scioto EMA says local emergency medical services are overburdened due to the pandemic, lack of volunteer workers, paid professionals, and the overuse of services for non-emergencies.
Responding to service requests is taking longer than usual.
Unfortunately, this might cause a fatality among critical patients.
The only time someone should call an emergency squad is in life-threatening situations should a person call an emergency squad or ambulance, or if their condition is likely to worsen in the near future, or if moving them may cause further injury. Those who feel they need medical attention should be transported by an alternative means, not an ambulance or squad.
People have the misconception that if they arrive at an emergency department by ambulance, they won’t have to wait. In Scioto County, this simply isn’t the case. Patients at the ED are triaged based on the severity of their condition and treated accordingly.
Even if patients come by ambulance, they don’t always get to the front of the line.
Using emergency medical services for non-emergency situations can result in someone else being deprived of essential services, which could lead to their death.
This multi-agency urgent message was sent to the media as the first item of business on Monday morning.
