'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.
Swedish addicts could get glass 'free zone'
Politicians in the small Swedish town of Falköping want to give alcoholics and drug users a glass-encased zone in the middle of a central square, saying it would lessen public disturbances and allow "the down and out" to socialize. READ () »
EU probes SAS airline over state aid
The European Commission opened an in-depth probe on Wednesday to see if state aid given to Scandinavian Airlines by Sweden and Denmark conformed to EU rules. READ () »
Jeepers creepers, your shoes hurt my peepers
In The Local's new Fashion Fix column on Swedish trends, Englishwoman Victoria Hussey gets up close and personal with shoes - namely "brothel creepers" from WWII that have been making a steady return to Stockholm pavements. READ () »
Frozen raspberries could spread vomiting bug
Imported frozen raspberries should be boiled before eaten according to new advice from Sweden's National Food Agency, which warns that the berries may carry the novo virus that is more known for causing winter vomiting disease. READ () »
Body of lonely Swedish patient forgotten for days
A deceased patient who had no relatives was left in a room for five days at the Örebro University Hospital before staff realized the body was still there. READ () »
Scab row as students disrupt bus strike
Stockholm bus traffic was at a standstill Wednesday as drivers launched a major strike at midnight, but a group of Conservative youths disrupted the action by replacing a bus route between two of the city's major hospitals. READ () »
Tax bill for politician's ties to far-right site
Sweden Democrat MP Kent Ekeroth has to pay tax for money sent to his bank account as donations to two far-right websites that he claims to have nothing to do with editorially. READ () »
Top ten ways you know you've turned Swedish
For some foreigners living in Sweden, a natural "inner Swede" can develop that often doesn't show its face until you're back home again. The Local's Patrick Reilly lists the top ten ways this inner Swede can change your life. READ () »
- 19/06 Swedish addicts could get glass 'free zone' »
- 19/06 EU probes SAS airline over state aid »
- 19/06 Jeepers creepers, your shoes hurt my peepers »
- 19/06 Frozen raspberries could spread vomiting bug »
- 19/06 Body of lonely Swedish patient forgotten for days »
- 19/06 Scab row as students disrupt bus strike »
- 19/06 Tax bill for politician's ties to far-right site »
- 19/06 Sweden to send 160 troops in Mali mission »
- 19/06 Extreme-right sites beat political party pages »
- 18/06 Transport chaos threatens Midsummer »
- 19/06 Dentist cut off own finger for insurance cash »
- 19/06 Nuclear cuts top Obama's Berlin speech »
More news from Germany at thelocal.de
- 19/06 Breakthough in hunt for serial arsonist in Brittany »
- 19/06 France maps out defence for war on mosquitos »
More news from France at thelocal.fr
- 19/06 Norwegian airline to offer free water on long flights »
- 18/06 American tourist dies in Arctic cruise mishap »
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
- 19/06 Murderer jailed for life 15 years after stabbing man »
- 19/06 MPs quash deal with US over tax evasion »
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
- Stream Global Services Dublin - Swedish
- Application Manager
- Customer Service Representative - Distrupol
- GE Money Bank söker en senior riskanalytiker
- IT Communication and Support Officer
- Lighting Category Director
- Senior Electrical Engineer
- Senior Manager/Manager with Finance, Risk & Regulatory experience within Banking and Capital Markets
- Solution Architect to Teracom Group
- Staff Engineer
Kentucky’s Bourbon Royalty Visits Sweden »
"He's not a celebrity in Sweden, but everyone in Kentucky knows the name Fred Noe. Even more people know the name of his great-grandfather, Jim Beam." READ »
- 13/6 22:03 This weeks results..week 24/25 (Stripes News)
- 05/6 13:52 The Golden Thread (The Diplomatic Dispatch)
- 29/5 09:11 IKEA UK: Swedish furniture giant stomps gnomes. (Boston Blatte)
- Stream Global Services Dublin - Swedish
- Application Manager
- Customer Service Representative - Distrupol
- GE Money Bank söker en senior riskanalytiker
- IT Communication and Support Officer
- Lighting Category Director
- Senior Electrical Engineer
- Senior Manager/Manager with Finance, Risk & Regulatory experience within Banking and Capital Markets
- Solution Architect to Teracom Group
- Staff Engineer
- 23:59 Campervan in -30?
- 22:35 Romanian beggers everywhere in Stockholm
- 17:02 Exchanging a old car for a new one, taxes?
- 16:29 Gothenburg road tax
- 16:05 A funny pic about Jimmie Åkesson
- 15:03 Swedish rail strike
- 14:30 Planning on moving to Sweden from USA
- 14:25 Is Edward Snowden Victim Of Chinese Honey-Trap?
- 14:00 TMI (Travel Medical Insurance) companies in Sweden
- 13:03 BBC TV property show looking for participants!
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
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
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...?