Ambulance Policies Questioned

The president of a small ambulance company claims the Spokane Fire Department is sabotaging his business by dispatching a rival firm to medical emergencies his crews were called to first.

But the chiefs of the county’s two largest fire departments say Medco Ambulance Inc. is putting the bottom line ahead of patient health.

Last week, Medco president Ronald Stose submitted a claim for $400 to the city treasurer’s office.

The City Council’s public safety committee scoffed at the request.

Stose said he may press the issue. He wants reimbursement for two calls his company missed recently because city fire officials gave the patients over to American Medical Response crews who had arrived on the scene first.

American Medical Response has an exclusive contract with the fire department to respond to all 911 and trauma calls in the city.

Medco cannot respond to such calls unless they are contacted directly by the patient and notify the fire department first.

The department must dispatch its paramedics to such scenes because Medco personnel are not certified to provide care to trauma patients, Spokane Fire Chief Bobby Williams said.

The company can transport such patients, but only if paramedics authorize it.

Once in May and once in July, Medco was called by trauma patients and followed the guidelines only to find American Medical Response crews at the scene, already at work.

“It’s not necessary, and it’s not right,” Stose said.

Some people may not want to be transported by American Medical Response, formerly known as Spokane Ambulance, or are looking for cheaper service, he said.

They should have a choice as to which company takes them to the hospital, Stose said.

Williams offered no apologies.

Firefighters dispatch American Medical Response ambulances to all trauma calls because the city has a contract with that company and knows its history, he said.

The policy protects both the patients and the city, Williams said.

Medco, which started in 1996 and has only four ambulances to cover the city and the Valley, has not proven that it can respond to calls in a timely manner, he added.

“We’re not going to sit around and wait,” Williams said. “The patients need to go, and we need to get our (fire) crews back in service.”

American Medical Response has eight to 18 crews on duty at any time, depending on the circumstances.

Stose said Williams isn’t being fair.

“We can give him an estimated time of arrival when we call him,” Stose said. “If the patient can’t wait, fine. But if they can, why can’t we transport them? He’s being pretty narrow-minded on the issue.”

But Valley Fire Chief Pat Humphries said he, too, has serious questions about the company.

Medco has its telephone number emblazoned on the side of its rigs in large numerals, while 911 is printed on the back in small print, Humphries complained.

“And they run red-and-white ambulances, which makes them look like fire department trucks,” he said.

Valley fire officials will only call for a Medco ambulance if American Medical Response cannot respond quickly, Humphries said.

The company’s current business practices border on being sneaky, he said.

, DataTimes