Sometimes the Private Sector really Sucks- Ambulances

[The True Adonis]

SploogeMonster  7 hours ago
AMR - America's largest private ambulance company
Contracts with counties will specify response times that they need to meet to remain in compliance. Typical response windows are about 10 minutes in heavily populated areas and 14 minutes or more in more rural areas. This compliance usually needs to be maintained to 90% or higher for all 911 calls generated.
Several times this year we've been "too good" and been running compliance up at 98-99% for the month. AMR's response is to cut staffing hours to save labor/diesel costs. They are willing to be late at the end of a month because they know they'll still hit their monthly compliance requirement.
I personally think that's despicable. Even though MOST 911 calls are BS and not a medical emergency, somebody that needs a defibrillator RIGHT NOW could have a reduced chance at survival in the name of pleasing "corporate" and ultimately the shareholders.

[tbombz]

im sure that 90% minimum for "on time arrivals" statistic is often not met by public safety personell.

[Nomad]

Obamacare in action 

[The True Adonis]

Obamacare in action 

Exact opposite.

[tbombz]

if we increased spending on public safety education and police officers by a trillion a year i think it reasonable to assume we could help save at least a few thousand more lives every year, at least by way of reduced accidental deaths.

[Bad Boy Dazza]

You really are an ignorant person.   This happens in GOVT too.

SploogeMonster  7 hours ago
AMR - America's largest private ambulance company
Contracts with counties will specify response times that they need to meet to remain in compliance. Typical response windows are about 10 minutes in heavily populated areas and 14 minutes or more in more rural areas. This compliance usually needs to be maintained to 90% or higher for all 911 calls generated.
Several times this year we've been "too good" and been running compliance up at 98-99% for the month. AMR's response is to cut staffing hours to save labor/diesel costs. They are willing to be late at the end of a month because they know they'll still hit their monthly compliance requirement.
I personally think that's despicable. Even though MOST 911 calls are BS and not a medical emergency, somebody that needs a defibrillator RIGHT NOW could have a reduced chance at survival in the name of pleasing "corporate" and ultimately the shareholders.

[Archer77]

A paramedic under the best circumstances will on average make no more than 10-12 dollars an hour, and that is on the high end of the spectrum.  With the introduction of private ambulance companies the per hour pay rate has pretty much leveled off. These companies tightly control overtime.   Cities like private ambulances because they are less expensive to operate and they can be because they pay their employees low wages.  You get what you pay for.  I know this because I was a paramedic for a while.