Ambulance service takes heat over flat-screen TVs

[okarol]

Ambulance service takes heat over flat-screen TVs
Published: Saturday, May 23, 2009

By VALERIE WEST
Of The Oakland Press

Michael Koehler, operations manager at Alliance Mobile Health, sits in one of the ambulances that has added a few new features, including a flat screen TV/ DVD player (at far right), and a blanket warmer (far left, in box). Koehler says half of his ambulance fleet has these new features, and he was hoping to have the entire line outfitted with these new features later this year. The Oakland Press/JOSE JUAREZ

TROY – An Oakland County ambulance service that recently installed flat-screen TVs and other amenities into some of its vehicles is getting some flack from health policy professionals.

Alliance Mobile Health in Troy recently installed 13 flat-screen TVs with DVD players that have artistic screen savers and soothing music in its nonemergency vehicles. The company also has added blanket warmers. It’s the first ambulatory service in Oakland County to install mounted televisions.

The idea emerged from a focus group discussion that took place last year.

“In the dialogue, people were saying, ‘Boy, an ambulance is a scary experience; wouldn’t it be nice if they had some soothing music?’” said Laurie Thiel, Alliance CEO.

So far, the upgrades have cost $8,000, and Thiel expects the total cost to be about $11,000 after the whole fleet has been upgraded. Alliance Mobile Health has 28 ambulatory vehicles.

The company offset the costs by selling older ambulances and attempting to eliminate company waste, Thiel said, adding that Alliance will not increase its rates.

Some, however, are concerned that the upgrades are a waste of money that could increase the costs of health care.

“It’s only a marketing ploy,” said John Griffith, a health policy professor at University of Michigan. “I think Alliance has competition, and their competition is likely to follow.”

There are about five major competing ambulance services in the county.

Although Griffith said ambulances are not a major concern for rising health care costs, he said the additions were not necessary.

“When (ambulances) come to emergency situations they can respond and save lives — that’s their purpose.”

He added, however, that if the rides are paid out-of-pocket by the individual, rather than with insurance, he isn’t concerned about the cost affecting health care.

Regardless, he said the company could have spent the money on improving response time, training EMTs and looking into better fuel efficiency for the vehicles.

Star EMS in Pontiac had tried using portable DVD players for patients on long transfers a couple of years ago, but found that they were ineffective because many of the patients fell asleep, said Bill Grubb, CEO and president.

Doug Miles, the vice president of Star EMS, said the company usually makes more short-distance transfers, and does not anticipate adding TVs to the vehicles.

“It seems like if you’re going to have a patient on a long-distance transfer, it would keep someone entertained and keep their condition off their minds.”

However, he doesn’t think it’s a selling point, pointing out that courtesy and professionalism are more important than “perks.”

“That’s going to be the true test of who’s going to provide the better service — whose employees are more compassionate and more professional,” he said.

Alliance has been tracking patients’ response with the new amenities, and said it’s not just a marketing strategy, it’s also helped clinically as well, Thiel said.

“We had a dialysis patient who probably had dementia and she’d scream every time we came to pick her up,” she said.

“When the EMS (personnel) said, ‘We’re going to put a movie in now,’ she was quiet.”

Another time, a cartoon was put in for an 18-month-old child who would not stop crying and screaming. After the movie started, EMS workers were able to check the child’s vitals.

“Don’t tell me that doesn’t help a child,” she said, adding that she has heard many similar stories where patients were calmed by the new upgrades. She also said that patients have the choice whether they want to watch the TVs or not.

“Those people who say we’re raising the cost of health care — we’re not,” she said.

Contact staff writer Valerie West at (248) 745-4633 or valerie.west@oakpress.com.

http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/05/24/news/doc4a17d183c2824143465877.txt

[Sluff]

Keep the Flat screen.  Some people will complain about the smallest things.

[Romona]

I think as long as it doesn't interfer with the job the EMTs and Paramedics have to do, I think it is fine. I had two transfers by ambulance that lasted an hour and a half each. Music would have been nice.