Nice forum!

[Phil]

Hello everyone,

I came across this forum when looking for discussions on EMS subjects and found it very nice!

I used to post in the usenet group misc.emerg-services, but it has unfortunately become quite calm.

I will go to post a question on monitor/defibrillator units in the Ambulances and Equipment forum.

Some words on me: I am working at a german EMS Service in Stuttgart (approx. 600 000 residents). As our system is quite different from the one in the US it is hard to tell what EMT status I have. I would guess it could be EMT-Intermediate/Specialist.

You can get an impression about our EMS on our web site.

I'm looking forward to discuss with you. I think that you folks in the US are advanced in many EMS areas compared to Germany (and Europe), therefore I'm sure that I will learn from you.

Cheers,

philipp

 

[Chimpie]

Welcome to the group Phil!

 

[Phridae]

Welcome.

 

[MMiz]

Phil,

Welcome to the forum!

I wont ask you a load of questions, though I'm really interested, but are most services volunteer / hospital based / or private? Or is there a good mix?

It's always great to see people with varied experiences on the forum, and I really hope you stick around and continue to post, it's great to have you here!

 

[sommers]

welcome

 

[rescuejew]

Welcome!

 

[MedicPrincess]

GLAD YOUR HERE!!!!

 

[ffemt8978]

Velkome to our own little corner of dysfunction!

 

[Phridae]

Originally posted by ffemt8978@May 7 2005, 10:52 PM
Velkome to our own little corner of dysfunction!

Nice touch.

 

[Phil]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! I feel quite comfortable here. B)

Anyway, I'm looking forward to discuss with you...

Originally posted by MMiz@May 7 2005, 04:25 PM
I wont ask you a load of questions, though I'm really interested, but are most services volunteer / hospital based / or private? Or is there a good mix?

We hardly have services that are hospital based in Germany. In the rest of Europe you find more hospital based services, e.g. in Switzerland.
Most of the services are offered by relief organizations. There are four of them in Germany, among them the German Red Cross (which is the largest one).
In a lot of areas also the fire dept. offers EMS services.
There are some private providers as well, but in general they would be rather of lower quality and they rather offer non-urgent patient transport (don't know what you call that normally) instead of EMS services.
Volunteers work especially in areas with low population density. However, they are getting less, as the requirements in terms of knowledge and experience have grown quite a lot in the last years and also because people are just not willing to offer their time anymore.
So I think alltogether it is quite a good mix.
However, I think that the level of training is lower than in the US. Only about 10 years ago a job description of a Paramedic was created. The professional training lasts for 2 years: 1 year of theory and training in hospitals and 1 year training on the job. Before, people working in EMS services only had to do a very short training lasting about 3 months. Older people having done the short training were approved as paramedics, so it will take some more time until the well trained people are in the majority.
Also, we have an emergency doctor service in Germany. So for the paramedics the legal position is quite unclear. Strictly spoken measures like i.v. application of drugs, intubation, etc. are reserved to the doc, but sometimes it takes too long to wait for him, so paramedics are allowed to take these measure if they are trained to do so.
So there is sometimes a little fight between paramedics and the docs concerning which measures can be taken and which not. This is not a perfect thing...
And therefore, propably our paramedics are not comparable to yours... Maybe I should call them differently?

Hope I could give you some ideas - but feel free to ask me for more details!

 

[Wingnut]

Welcome!!!!

 

[Jon]

Originally posted by Phil@May 8 2005, 07:45 AM
There are some private providers as well, but in general they would be rather of lower quality and they rather offer non-urgent patient transport (don't know what you call that normally) instead of EMS services.

Here in Pennsylvania, these "taxis with red lights" are required to meet the minimum equipment, supply, and staffing requirements of any other ambulance in the state. Is it the same in Germany? I know some places (in the US and other places) have a set-up to use an "ambulette" type vehicle - say a Wheelchair van with a strecher mount, and 2 warm bodies with Drivers licenses and First Aid to take grandma to and from dialysis, but in PA, for most insurance Co's to pay for the ride, they have to go by ambulance. This is a large bunch of BS, but it makes the Co's money to pay folks.

In general, these are the private "transport" services, as oppsed to vollie / paid / private "911" services that in general have better and more motivated staff and better and more supplies.

Jon