[NYBob]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I called the ER and asked that specific question. Their answer was that the 911 ambulance will take you to their facility if you request it, unless you are having a heart attack. In that case, they will take you to The Villages Hospital because the hospital is better prepared to treat you.

Thanks RG, we'll be heading over there in the next two weeks or so to speak with the staff and doctors. Thanks for the heads up.

Originally Posted by GregR

I don't know VPSD's specific policies, but based on my experience on a volunteer fire department in VA, It's probably "The nearest appropriate facility". The key word is appropriate. If you have a minor injury or undefined illness, you'd likely go to the standalone ER. If you have major trauma, they may go to the nearest trauma center, HCA Ocala. If you're having a heart attack or stroke, they'll go to the nearest facility certified for those treatments. If you have significant burn injuries they may go to a burn center in Orlando, Gainesville, or Tampa, (though for us a ride that long that would likely prompt a helicopter) etc, etc.

All that being said, we could sometimes be convinced to go to a further facility if the patient seemed stable enough and requested it because their doctor was there or they were recently discharged and the Drs and staff most familiar with their care were there and the area had sufficient coverage (ie, there wasn't a house fire or some major accident draining the dept's resources at the time)

Thanks Greg, their web page indicates:
"we offer the same exceptional care you would find at any of our emergency room locations" and states "board-certified emergency medicine specialists
Nurses certified/trained in: Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)"

which would indicated they should be able to handle heart attacks, cardiac arrest, stroke, ect though Retired Guy spoke with them and was told 'the 911 ambulance will take you to their facility if you request it, unless you are having a heart attack. In that case, they will take you to The Villages Hospital'.

So I'm not clear on why an 'ER' staffed with ACLS personnel would divert a heart attack. Sounds more like a glorified Urgent Care.

That said, I think with the growth in TV it's time to build another hospital.



Taken from their website:

HCA Florida Trailwinds Village Emergency is a campus of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. As part of their emergency care network, we offer the same exceptional care you would find at any of our emergency room locations.

Trailwinds Village Emergency features:
11 private exam rooms
24/7 adult and pediatric emergency care
Comprehensive laboratory services
Designated trauma treatment room
Diagnostic imaging services, which include:
Dedicated computerized tomography (CT) scan rooms
Ultrasound
X-ray
Highly skilled, board-certified emergency medicine specialists
Nurses certified/trained in:
Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)
Pediatric advanced life support (PALS)
Advanced trauma care
Pediatric emergency and neonatal resuscitation

HCA Florida Trailwinds Village Emergency