Advertisement
How do we the customers (tax payers) know it cannot be improved or if it's broken when there is no transparency to Tri State/Gundersen Lutheran records?
All governmental agencies must make all informational records available to the public as a result of the Wisconsin Open Records Law. Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran does not have to comply with this law. How do we know if the system is not broke when the only information provided is what Tri-State and Gundersen Lutheran wants us to know. This is a serious issue.
Another point claims that patient care and safety is a primary concern. He states that two doctors have noted that the skill level of the medics is dependent on regular practice and less frequent use could put the patients at questionable risk.
Once again Mr. Drewes is drawing this conclusion from materials submitted by Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran. I need to remind everyone to make an educated decision, all the facts must be gathered and then, and only then, can an educated decision be made. In September a number of Wisconsin Fire based Transport (Paramedic) agencies brought information forward about skill levels.
In the information they gave, it was noted that a comprehensive and intensive training program was the key to quality care. Any skill whether medical or fire needs to be practiced on a continual basis.
We cannot only “practice” our skills only on patients. To become as skilled as possible a comprehensive training program is the key and the La Crosse Fire Department has such a Training Program. LCFD specializes in low frequency high risk training in a variety of disciplines such as Hazardous Materials, Technical Rescue and Water Rescue and emergency medical services. La Crosse Fire Department already has a structured Emergency Medical training program in place.
Mr. Drewes states that Tri- State/Gundersen Lutheran is on the scene for one reason; to care for a health problem. Do you want someone who is hauling fire hose to give you treatment for a heart attack?
Who provides medical care before Tri-State arrives on scene? According to statistics supplied by Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran approximately 30 percent of all medical emergency calls TSA/Gundersen Lutheran arrive before or at the same time as the La Crosse Fire Department.
That means that 70 percent of all emergency medical calls you more than likely will be attended by a La Crosse firefighter first before Advance Life support arrives. You can review the actual statistics on the City of La Crosse Fire Department website.
As you look at the statistics please note that on 70 percent of these emergency calls when LCFD is on scene first the wait time for Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran is five plus minutes. If quick and advanced life support is needed who better to deliver it then the first arriving service?
Dave Drewes states the city Fire department has said it can do all this and make a profit. He further states that he has not seen any verifiable information to that effect. Information on this subject was given in September at two City of La Crosse Council (J&A and Committee of the Whole) meetings by three Wisconsin fire based paramedic departments. All three representatives spoke on the profitability of fire based transport. Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran states that they are barely making a profit.
Why are they hanging on to a losing business? Why are they trying to restrict competition? Any money generated by a city operated ambulance would be used to offset taxes.
This contradicts Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran's statement that this would be an added tax burden to city residents. Since the CRG is so interested in this issue it would behoove them to pursue all of the information not just one side of it.
With more than 60 percent of all Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran's emergency responses in the City of La Crosse it would only be right that the City should have majority representation on any commission dealing with emergency medical services.
Steve Doyle, La Crosse County Board Chairman, said “that the city fire department would be cherry picking the transport needed to keep Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran a float for their regional responses.”
From this statement it is clear that residents of the City of La Crosse are subsidizing the entire region without any benefits towards city tax relief. If Mr. Drewes and his group are responsible he would champion the cause for city of La Crosse tax relief through revenues generated by a City operated ambulance.
This will probably not be the case since Mr. Drewes is not a resident of La Crosse. Is looking out for the benefit of city residents or the surrounding communities and region?
With approximately 60 percent of the emergency responses in the city of La Crosse the city must look closely at the issue of a city operated ambulance today and in the future. The city could do this by forming a special study committee to research and inform city residents of all the information needed to make an educated decision.
Remember in the city of La Crosse approximately 70 percent of all calls the first arriving emergency medical team is the La Crosse Fire Department. The La Crosse Fire Department does the work and Tri-State/Gundersen Lutheran, who pays no property taxes, takes the money. How fair is that?
