ER24 Emergency Medical Services
ER24 is a national, private emergency medical service in South Africa that provides fast and efficient emergency medical care at a public and private level to everyone within South Africa. It is aimed at the provision of pre-hospital emergency care, including emergency care transportation by road and air. Branches with ambulances and other emergency resources are strategically placed in all major metropolitan areas and towns around the country as well as contracts with well-established ambulance service providers in the outlying areas.
The National Emergency Contact Centre based in Johannesburg handles in excess of 40 000 emergency calls per day. All calls are answered within seconds of the call being made and with at least one medical doctor experienced in trauma and emergency medicine roaming at the Contact Centre.
Organisation
History
In August 2000 a second major private emergency medical care company was registered in South Africa, ER24. Between 2000 and 2005 ER24 was known as Emergency Room Company 24. Today ER24 is 100 percent privately owned by Medi-Clinic Corporation 1. Soon to become one of the largest privately owned Emergency Medical Care providers, ER24's name was changed to ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd. and now known in the industry as ER24.
Private Emergency Care History
Early 1994 there was only one major private ambulance service in South Africa. South Africans were faced with an increasing need of emergency medical response and transportation on a private level. It was established that every 43 minutes somebody in South Africa dies as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Shocking facts also revealed that for every person that dies, 85 are admitted for treatment at a medical facility. The need definitely existed for the establishment of another major private ambulance service. Today ER24 is one of the largest Ambulance Services in South Africa with a national footprint.
Company Footprint
Supporting all hospitals throughout South Africa both private and public, ER24’s emergency services cover South Africa extensively. In addition, ER24 has branches in all major metropolitan areas and towns around the country as well as contracts with well-established ambulance service providers in the outlying areas. The ER24 footprint was increased extensively when ER24 and Discovery Health 2 joined forces in June 2009.
Resources
Ambulances
The ER24 fleet consists of a ground based emergency medical service system that comprises the following:
- Ambulances
- Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV’s)
- Rescue Vehicles and
- Events Vehicles
The fleet predominantly comprises:
- Toyota Quantam Ambulances
- Toyota Auris and Run X RRV’s
- Toyota Hilux 4X2 RRV’s/Rescue Vehicles
- Toyota Land Cruiser Rescue Vehicles
- BMW X5’s
- Mazda 3 RRV’s
Air Ambulances
To cater for a much lacking need in South Africa, ER24 and Discovery Health partnered in June 2009 to launch the Medicopter Project. The first HEMS also known as the Medicopter was launched in June 2009 in Johannesburg. A few months later the Medicopter was launched in Cape Town. Today, ER24 operates three Medicopters across South Africa with the third in KwaZulu Natal.
Staff Resources
It is not so many years ago that the function of an ambulance was solely to race to the scene of an incident, pick up the patient and speed off to the hospital, when the sole qualification of the attendant was a drivers license. Simply putting a critically injured patient into the back of a poorly equipped or unequipped vehicle turned out to be the bringing the casualty expertise to the patient was developed and training was introduced at different levels.
Basic Ambulance Attendant
An individual who has passed a standardised course that includes the teaching of the following:
This is a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, and approximately the equivalent of the U.S. EMTB. This is the minimum qualification to be a crew member of an ambulance in South Africa. Training includes a 160 hour course consisting of lectures and practical simulations. The lectures cover basic anatomy and physiology, basic life support (including both CPR and first aid), emergency care, the use of ambulance equipment, including Automatic External Defibrillators (AED), and various medico-legal issues.
The course includes the following:
- Airway Management
- CPR
- Basic trauma life support skills
- Emergency Childbirth
- Basic Extrication skills
- Other non-invasive skills
Ambulance Emergency Assistant
This is an individual who has completed a four month course held at a recognised training facility. This is an Intermediate Life Support (ILS) certification, and generally the equivalent of the U.S. EMT-I, but with some added skills. To apply for this training, candidates must have a minimum of 1,000 hours of practical experience as a BAA and they must pass an entrance exam to be eligible for the course. As an alternative route to certification, those completing the more advanced tertiary qualifications may challenge the examination and be certified as an AEA after successfully completing their first or second year of training. Training at this level consists of a 470 hour course, consisting of 240 hours of lectures and practical simulations, and 230 hours of experiential learning. AEA's are qualified to practice various invasive techniques such as IV therapy, needle Cricothyroidotomy and needle Thoracocentesis, as well as Electrocardiogram interpretation, manual external defibrillation, and are allowed to administer various drugs.
The course includes the following:
- Intravenous Fluid Therapy
- ECG interpretation & Defibrillation
- One-Man Intermediate CPR Mega codes
- Selective [...] Therapy - 50% Dextrose & Disprin, Beta two stimulants etc.
- Intermediate Rescue & Extrication Skills
Critical Care Assistant
This is an individual who has successfully completed a nine month course at the Ambulance Training College’s. This is an Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification with no NQF. It may be compared to the U.S. AEMT-CC. Candidates must complete a 1,200 hour course to qualify as a CCA. They are qualified to practice a large array of invasive techniques, can perform cardio-version and are allowed to administer narcotics, sedatives and various other drugs.
The course includes the following:
- Cardioversion
- One Man Advanced CPR
- Basic Medical Rescue
- [...] Therapy
- Advanced Airway management
- Advanced ECG interpretation
- Advanced Obstetrical Emergencies & Treatment
Diploma and Degrees In Emergency Medical Care
This is an individual who has completed a three year course at a Technicon & practical year at a recognised training service. The course includes all of the above mentioned subjects, as well as:
- Advanced Rescue skills
- Ambulance Technology
- Chemistry & Physics
- Advanced Anatomy & Physiology
Bachelors of Technology-EMC (B.Tech EMC)- BTech/BEMC or The clinician qualification, is a four year professional degree in Emergency Medical Care (Bachelor Emergency Medical Care), and is placed on the Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP) register as Independent PracAce which has an additional scope of practice. The most notable addition in stand-alone capabilities include Thrombolysis and Rapid sequence induction. ECP's are also trained in the rescue disciplines offered by their University, normally up to the level of Advanced Rescue Practitioner. Example: High Angle II- , Motor Vehicle-, Fire Search and Rescue-, Aviation-, Confined Space-, Structural Collapse-, Industrial and Agricultural-, Trench-, Aquatic Rescue, etc. The advantage of the BEMC qualification, is that they can offer their patients a higher quality of care, as they are educated to have a vast amount of emergency medical insight.
The course includes all of the above mentioned subjects, as well as:
- Chemistry & Physics
- Advanced Anatomy & Physiology+
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support and advanced cardiology
- RSI Protocols
- Emergency Care Technician (ECT) –This mid-level course is of two years duration, and exits on a level just above what many know as Intermediate Life Support (ILS), but below Advanced Life Support (ALS). This course is covered at several training Colleges. They are placed on the Emergency Care Technician (ECT) register.
Community Responsibility
ER24 extend its services and support for the benefit of the community. In addition to providing a medical standby service at events, ER24 is involved in various charity endeavors and the promotion of causes throughout the country. They believe in educating both children and adults alike about safety and what to do in case of an emergency. This is done via the Website 3, company and school visits, and a host of other events.
See also
Medi-Clinic Corporation