Uber/Lyft vs Ambulance

[Artemis Windsong]

If available where you live would you take Uber or Lyft to the hospital rather than an ambulance?

I would consider Uber or Lyft under some circumstances.  My hospitals are 2 miles from my home.  Cost is definitely a factor.

[swamp]

If I need an ambulance cost isn't a consideration.

[Artemis Windsong]

Timely arrival would be a consideration.  I've heard horror stories of slow ambulance service in large cities.

[simser]

I recently took an uber to the ER.

I had ovarian cysts and they hurt again, and I was worried they had burst, and no one else could drive me. For $15 it was better than driving myself and I wasn't needing an ambulance.

[Kolt!]

I would depending on the reason I need to get to the Hospital. A heart attack probably not because you're going to need medical attention right away so anything that needs dire medical attention right away I'd not get an Uber or Lyft. 

If it's something not serious like I fell and I'm alone and I can't get up and might have broke a leg... I'd call an Uber and cry through the pain. Anything that doesn't seem like I'll die if I don't get medical attention soon I'd totally do an Uber because it's cheaper for one and a lot of times it is faster but generally not fast enough to where they'd get you back in time before that ambulance arrives.

I have to say I do like how the United States treats ambulances when they come by.. we move over and let them through. When I was in Europe that wasn't the case. I remember being stuck in traffic in a congested road and an ambulance was trying to get through but couldn't. People were just honking their horns and not even trying to get out of the way... just trying to move up rather then over. 

[justme]

There were a couple of times I should have gone to the er, but drive and had no ride. I should have called an ambulance but the idea of getting up to open the door was too much to bear by the time it got bad and I still couldn't find a ride.

If it existed then I probably would have considered an uber.

[Tennesseer]

I don't know that it is actually true but I have heard several times from others that those arriving by ambulance to the ER are admitted faster to exam rooms than those who arrive by car and are dropped off at the ER.

[weltschmerz]

Apr 6, 2017 20:56:50 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I don't know that it is actually true but I have heard several times from others that those arriving by ambulance to the ER are admitted faster to exam rooms than those who arrive by car and are dropped off at the ER.

They're not necessarily admitted faster. They're triaged faster.
Admission is not guaranteed.

[TheOtherMe]

During one of my health crisis over the winter, my health insurance company advised me to call Uber to get to the hospital.  I ended up driving myself.

It would totally depend on why I was needing to go to the ER. 

20 years ago after getting the bill for the ambulance, when the same thing happened again, I drove myself.  Yes, I got lectured.

[dannylion]

I have been delivered to the ER by ambulance twice and wasn't charged either time. Probably each community's ambulance service is different in that respect.  During one hospitalization I was transferred to an orthopedic rehab hospital by ambulance, for which my insurance paid.   

I would not consider driving myself to the ER. If there was something wrong enough to need evaluation in the ER, it is likely to be something that would make driving myself ill advised.  Also, the EMTs will do a preliminary evaluation and begin treatment on the way to the ER, if necessary.  In the case of heart attack or stroke, that could be crucial.  If I have a broken bone or am bleeding copiously, I am definitely not going to call an Uber (and the Uber driver probably would refuse to transport me in that state, especially the bleeding). 

If I am in a state fit to be driving, I would re-evaluate my need to be seen in the ER. Maybe an urgent-care center would suffice. Of course, in areas where there are no after-hours or weekend urgent-care facilities, that decision would be different.

 

[Artemis Windsong]

The news report said Uber was reviewing how often their service is used for medical purposes.

The service would be very important for people who had their eyes dialated or loopy from a procedure or meds.  The person might not be rational enough to decide to use Uber.

My DD is an EMT.  She doesn't think the service at bar closing time is used enough to reduce ambulance or squad car rides.

[justme]

Apr 7, 2017 18:10:53 GMT -5 dannylion said:

I have been delivered to the ER by ambulance twice and wasn't charged either time. Probably each community's ambulance service is different in that respect.  During one hospitalization I was transferred to an orthopedic rehab hospital by ambulance, for which my insurance paid.   

I would not consider driving myself to the ER. If there was something wrong enough to need evaluation in the ER, it is likely to be something that would make driving myself ill advised.  Also, the EMTs will do a preliminary evaluation and begin treatment on the way to the ER, if necessary.  In the case of heart attack or stroke, that could be crucial.  If I have a broken bone or am bleeding copiously, I am definitely not going to call an Uber (and the Uber driver probably would refuse to transport me in that state, especially the bleeding). 

If I am in a state fit to be driving, I would re-evaluate my need to be seen in the ER. Maybe an urgent-care center would suffice. Of course, in areas where there are no after-hours or weekend urgent-care facilities, that decision would be different.

 

It depends on where you live. Where I am they have hamstringed urgent care when it comes to pain meds. If my migraine meds fail or my pain pills on the level of vicodin do - urgent care can do nothing. An uber would absolutely help me if my migraine meds fail. An ambulance would probably be pure hell with a migraine!

Most of my trips to the er were pain related. All of my should have gone to er trips were pain related but I didn't want to call an ambulance for just pain. Seemed silly, and I suffered greatly not having any other option.

[TheOtherMe]

In rural America, we have a volunteer fire department.  If I use their ambulance, I have to pay them and get reimbursed by insurance even though I would actually owe nothing for the ambulance.  Guessing they can't afford to wait for the money.

[Artemis Windsong]

Just me.  I hope your pain care starts working better.

[Pants]

I took a cab to ER last time I went. I had a migraine so obv couldn't drive myself, but didn't want to pay for an ambulance. I needed IV meds but was in no danger of dying.

[toomuchreality]

If it's bad enough I called 911, I'm taking an ambulance.   

They can monitor and administer aid while driving.  Triage is so much faster...  They take info on the way and ER is expecting you.

[garion2003]

I took an uber to the ER last fall. I had some sort of stomach bug and was violently vomiting. After the 2nd bout I decided it was worth checking out, but didn't want to drive (for obvious reasons). So I called an uber to the nearest hospital. It's in the next town over, about a 15 minute ride. Round trip  I spent $18.60. My condition definitely wasn't severe enough to warrant an ambulance and I'm sure it would have cost a lot more.

Having said all this, if I was having a heart attack or something like that, I'd call 911 instead of ordering an uber!

After a spectacular and dramatic bout of vomiting in the waiting room, I was much better   They did give me fluids and an anti nausea medication and about an hour later I was ready to go home.

[weltschmerz]

Your ambulance rides cost $1,000 a pop? Yowza!

[toomuchreality]

After insurance paid their part, it took me 1 year to pay off my part of the ambulance bill (heart attack - One of the EMT's told me I was having a panic attack and to knock it off).   →I made the last payment, last month (March).  Hooray!  I'm rich!  

[weltschmerz]

Our ambulance service charges $125.00 for pick-up and $1.75 per kilometer thereafter.


I've been transported to the ER 4 times. It never cost me more than $350.00 and my private insurance covered most of that.

[TheOtherMe]

Says on our volunteer fire department website the cost is $1000

[Artemis Windsong]

Apr 10, 2017 10:15:31 GMT -5 garion2003 said:

I took an uber to the ER last fall. I had some sort of stomach bug and was violently vomiting. After the 2nd bout I decided it was worth checking out, but didn't want to drive (for obvious reasons). So I called an uber to the nearest hospital. It's in the next town over, about a 15 minute ride. Round trip  I spent $18.60. My condition definitely wasn't severe enough to warrant an ambulance and I'm sure it would have cost a lot more.

Having said all this, if I was having a heart attack or something like that, I'd call 911 instead of ordering an uber!

After a spectacular and dramatic bout of vomiting in the waiting room, I was much better   They did give me fluids and an anti nausea medication and about an hour later I was ready to go home.

Did you take a puck bucket in the uber car?  Was the driver okay with that?

[ZaireinHD]

I simply can't stop laughing cause I am so on the same page with this question. 2015 was my very first medical emergency as an adult! my stomach was experiencing a great deal of pain and getting worse by the hour! I called 911, and met the EMT's at the door, and took a ride to the closest hospital in an ambulance. NOPE! had no idea what was wrong with me. only I was experiencing a great deal of pain and getting painfully worse. They put me in a wheel chair to the ambulance and I walked into the ambulance. took a ride to the hospital. then wheel chair through the emergency room. then went straight to a room instead of waiting in the emergency room lobby waiting to be seen. now that hospital bill total was or is one hundred thirty five thousand dollars! yikes! my insurance paid 10% of the ambulance portion, leaving me to pay $150! I'm like WTF! LOL! so after that experience. I thought I would take a taxi to the hospital.

the benefit of the ambulance I think. if I were to pass out or need some kind of medical attention on the way to the hospital, I should be covered? sorry for still laughing. cause the poor guy driving the taxi might go into a panic driving to the hospital. can you imagine as I am. a woman going into labor in this guys taxi! LOL! hilarious! once at the hospital, I would have to pay up to the taxi driver. at a time when every second counts. another benefit is I would be seen by doctors right away being brought in by ambulance. taking a taxi, I have to pay, walk through the emergency room doors myself and check in and wait to be seen by doctor. come to think about it. the ambulance may have a better chance or experience of locating the closest hospital then the taxi driver searching the navigation. then again. on second thought! LOL! I would have to look and call for taxi service. so when asked by dispatch. where is the pick up and drop off. dispatch may say NOPE - call an ambulance?

with that said. I would recommend to take an ambulance for medical emergencies. I have found out I am a pretty much a high maintenance guy! LOL I've called or used a taxi / limo service. meaning my taxi's have been luxury cars/ SUV. LOL. the most I've paid for service was $80. and a Mercedes came to pick me up! normally it costs me $60 

[garion2003]

Apr 14, 2017 15:25:28 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

Apr 10, 2017 10:15:31 GMT -5 garion2003 said:

I took an uber to the ER last fall. I had some sort of stomach bug and was violently vomiting. After the 2nd bout I decided it was worth checking out, but didn't want to drive (for obvious reasons). So I called an uber to the nearest hospital. It's in the next town over, about a 15 minute ride. Round trip  I spent $18.60. My condition definitely wasn't severe enough to warrant an ambulance and I'm sure it would have cost a lot more.

Having said all this, if I was having a heart attack or something like that, I'd call 911 instead of ordering an uber!

After a spectacular and dramatic bout of vomiting in the waiting room, I was much better   They did give me fluids and an anti nausea medication and about an hour later I was ready to go home.

Did you take a puck bucket in the uber car?  Was the driver okay with that?

I had a plastic bag with me just in case. But mostly I was hoping I was between bouts