By Rafael Olmeda
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Patients who find themselves racing to a hospital in the back of an ambulance may soon be able to tell their drivers which hospital to go to, under a proposal pitched before the Broward County Commission .
Commissioner Mark Bogen led his fellow commissioners to instruct the county attorney to develop a new ordinance that would require ambulance companies to take patients to the hospital of their choice — within reason.
“We’re not talking about life-and-death situations,” Bogen said. “In those cases, the ambulance must prioritize saving the patient’s life over anyone’s preference. But there are other cases that are not dealing with life-threatening injuries. In those cases, the consumer should have the opportunity to say ‘I don’t want to go to that hospital. Take me to this other one instead.’”
There would be limits: The requested hospital would have to be within 10 miles of the pickup location, and the patient would be charged extra for the customized service. But many patients would be thrilled with the chance to choose their hospital in an emergency, Bogen said.
“I know from clients, people in the condos, they get into the ambulance and (hear) well, ‘We have to take you to the closest place.’”
County commissioners voted unanimously to direct the county attorney to come up with a proposal that will later be subject to a full commission vote. Any ordinance would apply throughout the county.
The cost to the consumer would have to be reasonable, Bogen said. So would the burden on the ambulance and the hospitals.
“Consumers should be able to say what hospital they want to go to,” Bogen said.
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