Civil complaints and lawsuits filed in the process of providing emergency medical service
include fall accident on the way of carrying the patient, transfer consent, refusal and rejection
of rescue request, range and behavior restriction of emergency medical technicians, false
registry of logbook, neglect of duty and emergency patient, and violation of traffic laws on the
way of dispatch to the scene of accident. This study suggested the measures by cases as
follows.
1. The accidents on the way of carrying a patient could be divided into fall of patient and
fall by paramedic's mistake. In the former case, damages caused by the ambulance's shaking
must be notified to the patient and guardian and recommended to fasten seat belt, in the
latter case, the plan of patient's posture, route of transport, rescue and equipments should be
comfirmed before fixing the patient.
2. Transfer consent must be made as implied when the patient is unconscious under delusion
and was not able to consent physically, and paramedic must take an action by his judgment
and record details of services on logbook.
3. When a patient refused to transfer, get ‘confirmation of transfer refusal’ and inform him
of refusal. Paramedic should receive the signature. In addition, in case of refusal, transfer
request should be made after hearing doctor's opinion and it should be notified to transfer
request and superintendent of fire station after making ‘confirmation of transfer refusal’.
4. Emergency medical technicians should perform their duties within the range of services
prescribed by Article 41 of Law of Emergency Medical Service and Article 33 of Its Enforcement
Regulations and shall not make announcement of death. In case of reporting the death to
guardian, it is desirable to use record data like ECG results.
5. The best way to have protection from legal problems is making and keeping the exact
records of accident and patient. Paramedic should not mention his subjective opinion about the
accident-related matter. He must record correctly and keep the original medical records.
6. As emergency medical technicians are responsible for taking care of emergency patients,
they must contact a briefing room when they meet a difficult situation suddenly due to vehicle
stop or treatment of other patients and then must have support from neighboring hospital and
other safety centers.
7. Since the ambulance operator is responsible for safety and careful driving of ambulance,
he must be careful when he violates traffic regulations unavoidably. The operator should drive
slowly below 10km/h at an intersection and pass it after getting way from general vehicles
driving from all directions.
Civil complaints and lawsuits filed in the process of providing emergency medical service
include fall accident on the way of carrying the patient, transfer consent, refusal and rejection
of rescue request, range and behavior restriction of emergency medical technicians, false
registry of logbook, neglect of duty and emergency patient, and violation of traffic laws on the
way of dispatch to the scene of accident. This study suggested the measures by cases as
follows.
1. The accidents on the way of carrying a patient could be divided into fall of patient and
fall by paramedic's mistake. In the former case, damages caused by the ambulance's shaking
must be notified to the patient and guardian and recommended to fasten seat belt, in the
latter case, the plan of patient's posture, route of transport, rescue and equipments should be
comfirmed before fixing the patient.
2. Transfer consent must be made as implied when the patient is unconscious under delusion
and was not able to consent physically, and paramedic must take an action by his judgment
and record details of services on logbook.
3. When a patient refused to transfer, get ‘confirmation of transfer refusal’ and inform him
of refusal. Paramedic should receive the signature. In addition, in case of refusal, transfer
request should be made after hearing doctor's opinion and it should be notified to transfer
request and superintendent of fire station after making ‘confirmation of transfer refusal’.
4. Emergency medical technicians should perform their duties within the range of services
prescribed by Article 41 of Law of Emergency Medical Service and Article 33 of Its Enforcement
Regulations and shall not make announcement of death. In case of reporting the death to
guardian, it is desirable to use record data like ECG results.
5. The best way to have protection from legal problems is making and keeping the exact
records of accident and patient. Paramedic should not mention his subjective opinion about the
accident-related matter. He must record correctly and keep the original medical records.
6. As emergency medical technicians are responsible for taking care of emergency patients,
they must contact a briefing room when they meet a difficult situation suddenly due to vehicle
stop or treatment of other patients and then must have support from neighboring hospital and
other safety centers.
7. Since the ambulance operator is responsible for safety and careful driving of ambulance,
he must be careful when he violates traffic regulations unavoidably. The operator should drive
slowly below 10km/h at an intersection and pass it after getting way from general vehicles
driving from all directions.