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Show Park City medical clinics feud over ambulances by Christopher Smart Squabbling between clinics, poor communication and questions surrounding sur-rounding the operation of the local ambulance service has prompted the Summit County Sheriff's Department to request an investigation by the County Commission. The operation of the ambulance service, which is subsidized by the city and the county, came to public attention recently when Sheriff's Department Sgt. Robert Berry raised questions about two instances where the Holy Cross Ambulance Service was transporting patients to and from Park City's two clinics. Holy Cross officials have been asked to respond to allegations that the ambulance service was automatically automati-cally taking patients and accident victims to the Holy Cross Family Health and Emergency Center in Park City rather than offering them the option of being transported to the town's newest clinic, the Park City Emergency Center. Dr. Bruce Dooley of the Emergency Center maintains that accident victims may not be given a choice in the matter. On the other hand, Dr. Robert Winn of the Holy Cross clinic says that ambulance protocol does give patients and accident victims a choice. In one instance, Dooley said that an accident victim was taken to the Holy Cross clinic instead of his Emergency Center although her preference was the Dooley clinic. The patient was later transported to Dooley' s clinic by the Holy Cross Ambulance Service after her boyfriend found her at the Holy Cross clinic. However, Dr. Winn submitted to the commission sworn statements by the ambulance drivers that the patient pa-tient had not made a request to be transported to Dooley's Emergency Center. The County Commission found no "wrongdoing" according to County Commissioner Cliff Blonquist. Berry stated that he was satisfied nothing illegal had transpired. He added that his only concern was that the two county-owned ambulances used by the Holy Cross Ambulance Service were being used in a proper manner. , Beyond that county subsidy, Park City Municipal Corp. provides housing hous-ing and maintenance for all three of the ambulances operated by Holy Cross. The ambulance service owns the third vehicle. In a second incident, Berry transported an aparent heart attack victim to Dooley's Emergency Center in his automobile. The sheriff's radio dispatch, however, alerted Dr. Robert Bamett of the Holy Cross Clinic. Barnett found the patient at Dooley's Clinics to A9 i j i (CdDunitSimiiiieol ftmm ... CSSgJ'. Ill I gggaaa u, .ljiiji - a i 1 Clinics from 1 clinic just prior to Dooley's arrival. A disagreement ensued as to how the patient was to be transported to Salt Lake City in the Holy Cross ambulance. Barnett finally accompanied accompa-nied the patient to the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Salt Lake City after initial care was given by Dooley's physician's assistant Jeft Sadowsky. Sadowsky is a veteran of the Los Angeles paramedic system. Barnett stated that he was legally bound to the patient's well-being during the transport and would not allow Sadowsky to accompany the patient. By state law only a physician or a nurse can ride with a patient. While the County Commission has found nothing improper, questions still remain on ambulance protocols in Summit County. Under state law, according to Richard L Warburton, state director of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, the ambulance service must be operated through a "resource hospital." Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City acts as that resource with the local Holy Cross clinic as an extension, he explained. According to the law, Warburton said, the ambulance emergency medical technicians (EMTs) must be in radio contact with a physician at that resource. In this county, however, the clinic operates as the resource because radio communications communica-tions have not been established between Salt Lake City and Park City. Winn at the Holy Cross clinic acts as "medical control" for this area. Dooley, however, said he believes he should share the medical control, in light of recent events. He maintains that wouldn't be necessary if medical control were being handled properly at this time. Dooley added that Winn w ill not work with him. Winn denied those allegations. He said that patients and accident victims are given a choice and that Dooley has been given access to the current system through the executive committee commit-tee of the County EMS (Emergency Medical System) Council. Winn alleged that it was Dooley who was refusing to work within the system as prescribed by law. Dooley could be misleading the , public as to the services he offers, Winn said. Winn further; explained that the Holy Cross clinic, the Holy Cross Ambulance Service and the Holy Cross Hospital were under the scrutiny of the state EMS Bureau. He said that Dooley had chosen not to be affiliated with a hospital and was . under no regulatory body. Dooley maintains, on the other hand, that he has been able to work well with the state EMS Bureau and officials at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City. He said he believes that W inn, who also sits as chairman of the Summit County Health Board, is keeping him from participating in ambulance matters although the system is publicly funded. The director of Emergency Services for Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City, Dr. Michael Romney, said the disagreement between the two clinics is "a mess." Romney appointed Winn as medical control for this area. Romney said he was very disap- pointed that Dooley and Winn are not working together. "Errant statements don't help either side," he said. Romney said he has been working with the two physicians to try and incorporate Dooley into the system. He added that as EMS director he "will not allow name calling" between the two factions on the local EMS Council. The Holy Cross entities in Salt Lake City and the state EMS Bureau are working very hard to put together a good emergency service in Summit County, Romney said. He explained that a radio transmitter weuld soon be installed on Lewis Peak enabling radio contact to be made between ambulances ambu-lances and Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City. Whether or not "medical control" will then be handled through Salt Lake City has yet to be determined, he said. Protocols for every county location are in the process of being worked out. Romney said that by the end of the summer the confusion surrounding the ambulance service should be resolved. |