Ambulance Service

The ambulance service is an integral part of Emergency Medicine Department. We have a fleet of ambulances with the necessary facilities, like monitors, defibrillators, ventilators and continuous oxygen supply. The fleet is supported by paramedics skilled in transportation of seriously ill patients and victims of road traffic accident.They are trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support.
Ambulance services or paramedic services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care, transport to definitive care, and other medical transport to patients with illnesses and injuries which prevent the patient from transporting themselves. Emergency medical services may also be locally known as a paramedic service, a first aid squad, FAST squad, emergency squad, rescue squad, ambulance squad, ambulance service, ambulance corps, or life squad.

The goal of most emergency medical services is to either provide treatment to those in need of urgent medical care, with the goal of satisfactorily treating the presenting conditions, or arranging for timely removal of the patient to the next point of definitive care. This is most likely an emergency department at a hospital. The term emergency medical service evolved to reflect a change from a simple system of ambulances providing only transport, to a system in which preliminary medical care is given on scene and during transport. In some developing regions, the term is not used, or may be used inaccurately, since the service in question does not provide treatment to the patients, but only the provision of transport to the point of care.
In some parts of the world, the emergency medical service also encompasses the role of moving patients from one medical facility to an alternative one; usually to facilitate the provision of a higher level or more specialized field of care but also to transfer patients from a specialized facility to a local hospital or nursing home when they no longer require the services of that specialized hospital, such as following successful cardiac catheterization due to a heart attack. In such services, the EMS is not summoned by members of the public but by clinical professionals (e.g. physicians or nurses) in the referring facility. Specialized hospitals that provide higher levels of care may include services such as neonatal intensive care (NICU), pediatric intensive care (PICU), state regional burn centres, specialized care for spinal injury and/or neurosurgery, regional stroke centers, specialized cardiac care (Cardiac catheterization), and specialized/regional trauma care.
In some jurisdictions, EMS units may handle technical rescue operations such as extrication, water rescue, and search and rescue. Training and qualification levels for members and employees of emergency medical services vary widely throughout the world. In some systems, members may be present who are qualified only to drive ambulances, with no medical training. In contrast, most systems have personnel who retain at least basic first aid certifications, such as Basic Life Support (BLS). Additionally many EMS systems are staffed with Advanced Life Support (ALS) personnel, including paramedics, nurses, or, less commonly, physicians

Ambulance Crews

Ambulance crews can include a range of medical staff, such as emergency care assistants and paramedics. Crews are highly trained in all aspects of emergency care, from trauma injuries to cardiac arrests. An ambulance is equipped with a variety of emergency care equipment, such as heart defibrillators, oxygen, intravenous drips, spinal and traction splints, and a range of drugs. Patients will always be taken to hospital when there is a medical need for this. However, paramedics now carry out more diagnostic tests and do basic procedures at the scene. Many crews also refer patients to social care services, and directly admit patients to specialist units such as major trauma centres or stroke units. Paramedics also administer a wide range of drugs to deal with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, allergic reactions, overdoses, and heart failure.

A rapid response vehicle

These units are often sent ahead of an ambulance as they are quicker at getting through traffic or large pedestrian areas. This is important in situations where every second counts.