Put-in-Bay is a popular summer destination for Clevelanders in search of fun and relaxation. The island is adequately equipped with 14 paramedics with at least one paramedic being available round the clock throughout the year. The island does not have a dedicated hospital. It relies on well-equipped ambulances and medical flights. However, an investigation conducted by a news agency recently pointed out that all was not well with the frequency of medical “emergencies” that demanded medical flights here.
The Needle of Suspicion Points to Use of Medical Flights
The call logs of Put-in-Bay police dept. in conjunction with Ottawa County were looked into and showed that patients were being flow through medical flights even in not-so-urgent cases. Some were flown in on medical flights for reasons such as stomachache, intoxication, allergic reactions, and anxiety attacks. In one case, it was for a thumb laceration. The use of medical flights was being made in spite of ferries being in place for the purpose. If the allegations hold water, it means that people and insurance companies were being forced to pay huge amounts unnecessarily.
The Reasons Being Given for Use of Medical Flights
The manager of emergency medical service revealed that they cannot afford to have a medical staff with the patient for over an hour, leaving them short-staffed. He further said that medical flights become necessary to quickly get the paramedic personnel back in order to stay adequately staffed. He also revealed that, at a given time, they only have four medical personnel working during the weekend which comes down to two during weekdays. The operator of the medical flights said that they have been helping patients for over 33 years and are absolutely certain that the medical flights are being used where necessary.
Diverse Opinions on Use of Medical Flights
The average cost of medical flights is about 10 thousand dollars and a huge bill like this is certainly unnecessary ‘if’ the service is being used unnecessarily. Some medical professionals questioned why an urgent care facility has not been established in the island still. Others questioned the unnecessary use of resources for ‘trivial’ reasons. Whatever the reality, knowing the facts allows the tourists to take informed decisions.
