A
System of Emergency Care Beginning with 9-1-1
When
a medical emergency occurs, easy access to the emergency
medical services system is paramount to the success of the
system. Residents in McDonough County can quickly access
McDonough District Hospital’s Ambulance Service by
dialing 9-1-1. A dispatcher trained in answering calls for
medical emergencies will take your call. In turn, the dispatcher
will dispatch the hospital’s ambulance service in addition
to necessary police, fire and rescue personnel.
When
calling 9-1-1, remember to speak calmly and clearly. Be
prepared to give your name and address, location of victim,
and nature of the problem. Don’t hang up until the
dispatcher has received all necessary information. Help
will be on its way.
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Skilled
Emergency Medical Technicians and First-Responders Provide
Initial Care
McDonough
District Hospital and residents of the region are fortunate
to have numerous volunteers who serve their local communities
as emergency medical technicians (EMT’s) and first-responders.
These volunteers are frequently the first to arrive at the
scene of an accident or medical emergency and render assistance.
In addition to their training in basic life support procedures,
many have additional training in extrication and rescue
techniques.
As
a state-approved Resource Hospital, McDonough District Hospital
is proud to assume responsibility for the clinical aspects,
operations and educational programs provided to these volunteers.
Since these volunteers are generally the first to arrive
at the scene, MDH will continue to work with these agencies
to ensure the highest level of care is provided efficiently
and effectively to the patient. Advanced training programs
that have been provided to many of our volunteer services
include: use of a semi-automatic defibrillator to revive
victims of sudden cardiac arrest, use of aerosolized breathing
treatments for patients experiencing difficulty breathing,
use of Epi-pens for rapid treatment of severe allergic reactions,
as well as other advanced skills.
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Paramedics
Provide Advanced Life Support
McDonough
District Hospital provides the only medical transport service
in McDonough County. With our Emergency Room-based Ambulance
Service, EMT’s and paramedics trained in advanced life-support
skills respond to all 9-1-1 medical emergency calls in the
county. When responding to these calls, our EMT’s and
paramedics maintain close radio contact with on-scene EMT’s
and rescue personnel in order to prepare for necessary treatment.
Once
at the scene, MDH’s paramedics supplement the care
provided by the volunteer EMT personnel and function as
an extension of the Emergency Room physician. The paramedics
provide advanced care including defibrillation/cardioversion,
intravenous access, administration of emergency medications,
tracheal intubation, and use of 12-lead electrocardiograms
to rapidly identify victims of a heart attack. All MDH paramedics
have attended additional courses in the area of Pediatric
Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support
(ACLS)
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Helicopter
Service Available When Needed
On
occasion, a patient may suffer injuries from an accident
that requires intensive trauma service provided by our regional
trauma center. When this occurs, our paramedical staff and
Emergency Room physician may call upon a medical helicopter
to provide on-scene response and rapid transport for the
victim to this regional center. McDonough District maintains
a close working relationship with the appropriate flight
services to ensure this service is available.
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