Ambulance transports from a state prison: a unique service staffed by prisoners.
OBJECTIVE
To describe an emergency medical service (EMS) staffed by convicted felons and to determine the nature of emergencies at a state penitentiary.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed runs performed by the prison EMS for 2003. For each run, we recorded emergency run or a non-emergency transport, location of the patient, whether or not the run was staffed with a nurse or physician, and whether or not an automated external defibrillator (AED) was used. We also determined the cost of operating the service.


RESULTS
During 2003, the prison EMS had a total call volume of 477 transports. The AED was used 8 times with one patient surviving to hospital admission neurologically intact. There were 357 emergency runs and 120 nonemergency transports. The majority of emergency transports, 305 (85%), were for medical complaints. The actual cost of operating the service for 2003 was $35,421. There were no attempted escapes or injured providers. This study shows that the majority of emergency transports in our prison were for medical conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of state prisoners as EMS providers results in substantial cost savings and most transports were for medical emergencies.
Hooker
Edmond A
EA
Health Services Administration, Xavier University, 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45207-7331, USA. hookere@xavier.edu
O'Brien
Daniel
D
D000552:Ambulances; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky; D011329:Prisoners; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000458:organization & administration