The lack of ambulances, this time in Faro, caused a pre-hospital intervention doctor (VMER) to accompany the patient to hospital in the patients car, driven by a family member.
The occurrence took place at around 6 pm on Saturday evening, after only the Medical Emergency and Resuscitation Vehicle (VMER) was able to be dispatched to the scene. The doctor, given the fact that there were no ambulances available, resolved the issue transport by using the car of the patient, driven by a member of the patients family.
“There is a lack of ambulances everywhere, especially in Lisbon and the Algarve, but what is unusual this time is that the doctor has gone in a car driven by a family member. If he did, it was because it was an urgent situation. But if, during transport, the patient had a cardiac arrest, there are no conditions [such as in an ambulance] for resuscitation”, said STEPH (Union of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians ) president, Rui Lázaro.
“Unfortunately, it could be a scenario [the lack of ambulances] that could happen more often”, he said, stressing “the courage” of the VMER doctor in “assuming the risk of transport”.
Source https://postal.pt/
