City approves new rules for transferring patients between hospitals

By Dave Clark

Monday, Dec. 1, 2008 | 5:23 p.m.

Transferring patients between hospitals by private companies will no longer require a paramedic in Henderson, a move officials say brings the city in line with other area localities.

The change, approved at the City Council meeting Nov. 18, came at the behest of local hospitals, Deputy Fire Chief Steve Goble said.

"We're the only entity in the valley that currently requires advanced life support transports," Goble said. "It's been something overlooked over time. This is the time for us to address it."

The city originally required advanced life support transport because that was the highest level, Goble said. The new regulation allows transport at the intermediate level, with an emergency medical technician instead of a paramedic. Goble said the difference lies in the paramedic's ability to provide certain medications as well as a tube implanted in the patient's throat to assist with artificial respiration.

"When hospitals are transporting people between facilities, those kinds of skills are typically not required," Goble said.

Goble said the regulation made transporting patients cumbersome and "helps free up resources for private ambulance units," he said.

It should have little effect on emergency responses in Henderson, he said, because the Fire Department handles virtually all of the city's 911 calls, relying on private companies only for a rare instance of backup, Goble said. Other entities in the valley depend heavily on private ambulance service, he said.

Dave Clark can be reached at 990-2677 or [email protected].