'Swedish hospitals send ambulances too often'
Published: 4 Feb 13 12:25 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/45990/20130204/
More ambulances are being sent out for minor injuries in Sweden as emergency workers are afraid of making a potentially fatal mistake, according to a new report.
- Old maps result in hour-long ambulance delay (12 Jan 13)
- Elderly woman dies after ambulance no-show (1 Oct 12)
- Paramedics opt for shift change, patient dies (17 Sep 12)
- 'Panicked callers' get better emergency help: Swedish study (19 Jun 12)
Emergency call operators are afraid of refusing a request for an ambulance and being hung out in the media if something goes wrong, wrote Eric Carlström, an ambulance nurse studying at University West.
"There's a whole bunch of patients who could have taken a taxi or other medical transport instead, while those people who are truly in need of help and need to be picked up in minutes are maybe made to wait for 40 minutes," Carlström said in a statement, according to the Dagens Nyheter newspaper.
In 2012, Sweden was hit with a number of cases where an ambulance no-show resulted in a death.
In January, a 22-year-old woman died after her request for help was denied because she was "still talking".
SEE ALSO: Ambulance call outrage: 'Are you black or white?'
In February, a 17-year-old boy's parents were forced to drive him to hospital after no ambulance showed up, with the SOS Alarm team later blaming an error in prioritization. He died soon after.
The new report suggests that even the patients are unimpressed.
"You get irritated when you are referred by health services to go in to emergency just to spend six hours of potential sleep time so you can sit there in the glow of some aquarium," said one internet user who was cited in the report.
The study suggests that more time should be invested in training emergency call operators to ensure they feel comfortable trusting their instincts.
The Local/og
Follow The Local on Twitter
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Minister: Stockholm riots 'not youth versus society'
With one arrest warrant being issued after four nights of rioting in Stockholm, Sweden's Integration Minister Erik Ullenhag said the rioters are a small minority, and did not represent a clash between young people in the suburbs and Swedish society. READ () »
Firefighter to Stockholm rioters: I'll still help you
A viral Facebook post about the terror of being targeted by stone-throwing youths during to the ongoing Stockholm riots has made firefighter Mattias Lassén into something of a Swedish folk hero, and The Local's pick for Swede of the Week. READ () »
Driving in Sweden: Elk, reindeer, and road rage
Fresh from another near miss with a hulking behemoth of an elk, ex-Londoner Paul Connolly offers up a theory on how the prospect of imminent collisions with wayward wildlife affects the driving habits of Swedes up north. READ () »
Swedish parties agree to major free-school reform
The government and its main opposition have agreed to new rules governing performance requirements and profits at publicly funded, privately managed free schools. READ () »
Swedish scientists chart entire fir tree genome
Scientists at three Swedish universities have managed to muddle through the genetic code for fir trees, seven times larger than the human genome, with potential benefits for the Swedish forestry industry. READ () »
Swedish zoo celebrates rare elephant birth
The Borås Zoo in western Sweden has welcomed a rare new elephant calf as African elephant Dudu gave birth on Wednesday after two years of pregnancy. READ () »
Stockholm riots spread south on fourth night
Wednesday night saw more burning cars, smashed windows, and stone throwing at police in at least 15 suburbs around Stockholm, as the fourth night of riots swept the Swedish capital. READ () »
Karolinska joins free online-course community
Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet has signed up to offer free online courses, joining a network of 27 universities worldwide that reach nearly a million students. READ () »
- 23/05 Minister: Stockholm riots 'not youth versus society' »
- 23/05 Firefighter to Stockholm rioters: I'll still help you »
- 23/05 Stockholm riots spread south on fourth night »
- 23/05 Karolinska joins free online-course community »
- 23/05 Swedish pressure needed on Assange: accuser »
- 22/05 Stockholm man lay dead in flat for two years »
- 22/05 Swedish 'serial killer' cleared of two murders »
- 22/05 Thirty fires in third night of Stockholm riots »
- 21/05 Seven arrested over Stockholm's Husby riots »
- 21/05 Body parts found in missing woman search »
More news from Germany at thelocal.de
- 23/05 A French Psy who made Cannes stars see double »
- 23/05 Diamond necklace 'worth €2m stolen' at Cannes »
More news from France at thelocal.fr
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
- 23/05 Swiss diamond necklace 'stolen' at Cannes »
- 23/05 Chinese premier touts trade deal with Swiss »
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
In cooperation with DoToday
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
REFLECTIONS OF A TWITTER VIRGIN…. »
"I confess to having been reluctant to embrace Twitter. But I confess myself a bit of a convert. The great TV critic Clive James once said about “Dallas”, “I came to mock but I stayed to pray”. I wouldn’t go that far, but I have found my first two weeks on Twitter (@hmapauljohnston) both fun and informative. It’s been..." READ »
- 21/5 21:34 WEEK 21 (Stripes News)
- 20/5 15:25 Hockey. Hockey. Hockey. (Boston Blatte)
- 16/5 08:32 Be British, be sincere and be bold (Brits Mean Business)
- 19:13 Is it save to keep money at forexbank?
- 18:56 Moving to Sweden (Questions) HELP
- 18:54 Husby Riots and violence against the police...
- 18:49 Found out I'm pregnant!
- 15:14 Freelancer needed to build a website
- 14:43 International school in Lund
- 14:42 Markets in Gothenburg
- 12:44 Swedish Summer Language Classes in Malmö?
- 11:18 Bank account deposits
- 10:04 Lamination or Plastic surgery for Certificate
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE
Casa Birgitta in Algarve, Portugal. Reduced price in best location. Private estate on white sand beach. All amenities included. Book here today! edward_george1@hotmail.com
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
This resembels a third world country in that regard. For Pete's sake, in any eastern European country, if you call for an ambulance, you get it.
Why are we paying taxes here again in Sweden if we don't get the decision over our health? Good thing we have money to organize all kinds of retarded events, but if I need an ambulance and sound calm, then I'll be denide one or sent to go by myself to the hospital.
This is a problem that needs to be stopped in Sweden. An ambulance is an ambulance and I decide if I need it or not, not the dispatcher. If it turns out that I wasted the ambulance's time and money for a really minor injury like a cut or a sore throat, then I should pay, sure, but those kind of things should be disputed AFTER making sure my life is not in danger, and not before.
Maybe SHE was one of those who should have caught a bus to the hospital...?