When to Call 911 vs. Schedule a Non-Emergency Ambulance

MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, lists warning signs of a medical emergency in adults, including:

• Bleeding that will not stop
• Breathing problems
• Chest pain or discomfort lasting for two minutes or more
• Choking
• Fainting or loss of consciousness
• Sudden, severe pain anywhere in the body
• Severe abdominal pain or pressure
• Swelling of the face, eyes or tongue
• Change in mental status

Heart attack

The CDC lists the major symptoms of a heart attack as chest pain or discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back; feeling weak, light-headed or faint; pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back; pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders; and shortness of breath. The CDC’s advice is direct: “call 9-1-1 immediately.”

Stroke: remember B.E. F.A.S.T.

• B – Balance: Is the person suddenly off-balance or dizzy?
• E – Eyes: Are they having trouble seeing normally?
• F – Face: Ask them to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• A – Arms: Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S – Speech: Is their speech slurred or strange when they repeat a simple phrase?
• T – Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.

The CDC also recommends noting the time when symptoms first appear, because that information helps health care providers determine the best treatment.

MedlinePlus advises calling 911 instead of driving someone to the hospital yourself when:

• The person’s condition is life threatening, such as a heart attack or severe allergic reaction
• The condition could become life threatening on the way to the hospital
• Moving the person could cause further injury, such as with a neck injury
• The person needs the skills or equipment of paramedics
• Traffic or distance might delay getting the person to the hospital

Non-emergency ambulance transport is a scheduled trip for a patient who is medically stable but needs more than a car, taxi or wheelchair van can safely provide. That may be because the patient needs to lie on a stretcher, needs monitoring or oxygen on the way, or needs trained crew members to move them safely. Common examples include:

• Rides to and from dialysis
• Hospital-to-hospital transfers
• Trips to doctor appointments

Republic EMS provides basic life support (BLS), advanced life support (ALS) and critical care inter-facility transports, as well as non-emergency transports, across Greater Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Beaumont and surrounding areas.

Whether the call comes from a family member, a hospital case manager or a facility nurse, having the details ready helps dispatch send the right crew and give an accurate arrival time. Before you call, gather:

1. 1Pickup address and any access details, such as a gate code, building entrance, floor or room number.
2. 2Patient’s name and date of birth.
3. 3Current condition in plain terms, including oxygen use, IV lines or other equipment that needs to travel with the patient.
4. 4Mobility needs, such as whether the patient can sit up, needs a stretcher, or needs help with stairs.
5. 5Destination: facility name, address, unit or department, and appointment time.
6. 6Paperwork: insurance information, any physician order or transfer documents, and a current medication list.
7. 7A contact person dispatch can call with updates.

Republic EMS’s dispatch center is open 24/7 at 888-305-9967 for scheduling transports, and you can also send non-urgent questions through our contact form.

Coverage depends on your plan and your medical situation, so check with your insurer. For people with Original Medicare, Medicare.gov explains that Part B covers ground ambulance transportation “when traveling in any other vehicle could endanger your health, and you need medically necessary services.”

For scheduled trips, Medicare.gov states that “Medicare may pay for medically necessary, non-emergency ambulance transportation if you have a written order from your doctor or other health care provider.” If an ambulance company believes Medicare may not pay for a non-emergency trip, it must give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice. Medicare.gov also notes that, after the Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.