Which way is faster when going to the hospital?

Question

If you have somone injured and in critical condition, is it faster to call an ambulance and wait for it or drive to the hospital yourself(regardless of how far the hospital is)

Answer 1

it would probably be safer to call and amublence and let the paramedics handle things and get them in stable condition. It takes on average about 30 minutes for an EMS to get to a scene but that depends on traffic and how far you are from an EMS station. Drivers must pull over for emergency vehicles with lights and sirens on. But EMS is expensive ( upwards of $500), and if the person can get his or herself into a car and aren't in too serious condition I'd just drive them to the hospital.

Answer 2

Distance does matter and the condition of the person does also.

If they are breathing alright then you can probably drive them to the hospital. However if the problem is serious remember they will get faster service at the emergency room if they go by ambulance.

Remember most ambulances today are miniature ICU and have facilities to give advanced emergency care. In general your car or truck does not.

If the person is bleeding use pressure to stop the bleeding and wait for the ambulance for the reason above.

Answer 3

Call 911; I speak from experience. If a person comes into the ER in an ambulance they get instant attention. This is only for very serious problems because an ambulance costs a lot of money but without the EMTs and an ambulance I would have been dead when I had a stroke 2 years ago.

Answer 4

It may be faster to drive yourself, but if it is a true emergency, it is always safer to wait for the ambulance. They can start the urgent care you need. So, the drive-to-hospital time is shorter, but the time to treatment is longer.

Answer 5

Ambulance, especially if you live in a large city. Most hospitals are trauma centers. So the more critical the condition is the faster you get treated.

Answer 6

Lot of times it is quicker to drive there yourself, but it is best if a person is in critical condition to wait for an ambulance the medics are trained to take care of patients in that condition.

Answer 7

Eighty percent of those hurt in traffic accidents have head injuries. If a person has a head injury, you should assume he also has neck and back injuries. Bandaging wounds, attempting to splint broken bones, or using more advanced first-aid techniques, especially if professional help is on the way, isn't generally recommended. If an injury is obviously life threatening, and waiting for help would endanger a life, then necessary action probably should be taken.

Answer 8

Depends on where you live and the average response time of your local ambulance service. Too, keep in mind, that a quick assessment and treatment can be initiated by the trained EMT as soon as he or she reaches the person. You, as a lay person most likely, could not evaluate and treat on the spot and on route to the hospital.

Answer 9

Depending on where you are in relation to the ambulance station, it would be faster to take the ambulance, since they can also exceed the speed limit and run lights in a safer manner. Then there's also the factor of the EMT's ability to provide first-responder treatment, which can be life-saving.

Answer 10

I would put faster aside and think SAFER. It is far safer to have a critical patient in an ambulance with an EMT assisting than to have someone untrained in medical needs driving the car.