The ethics of ambulance ramping
Date
2017
Authors
Perry, M.J.
Carter, D.A.
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Journal article
Citation
EMA - Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2017; 29(1):116-118
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Matthew Perry and Drew Carter
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Abstract
Ramping is the practice of requiring paramedics to continue to care for patients rather than hand over clinical responsibility to the ED. It arose as an alternative to admitting patients to EDs that are deemed to be already operating at or beyond capacity. This paper analyses the ethics of ramping. Ramping has been embraced by some ED practitioners and policymakers as a solution to the problem of ED patients suffering increased risks of harm as a result of waiting times within ED. However, this perspective fails to adequately consider the implications, especially the opportunity cost of requiring paramedics to remain at the hospital rather than make themselves available for other patients. From this perspective, ramping negatively impacts the wider provision of emergency medical services, with potentially serious consequences for people’s health. Advocates of ramping must consider people in the community who require a medical emergency response.
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© 2016 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine