The president of INEM guarantees that the new screening system is working as expected. But the pre-hospital emergency technicians union says it has received several complaints. It talks about delays and response times that are being exceeded in sending emergency resources.
INEM’s new screening system began to be applied less than a week ago.
“This new system is working as expected and, fortunately, we managed to introduce it at a time of very significant demand. There is no difference in the flowchart and there is no difference in the discriminator that is used”, says Luís Cabral, president of INEM.
But the pre-hospital emergency technicians union says it has already notice differences in waiting times.
“Since the 2nd of January, when this new priority system began to operate, we have received several reports of delays and exceeded response times in sending emergency resources, even taking into account priorities. Naturally, this involves risks, as telephone triage cannot be 100 percent accurate”, says Rui Lázaro, Union of Pre-hospital Emergency Technicians.
They are the CODU professionals that classify occurrences. Everything is done based on the information given during the call 112.
The dispatch of ambulances depends on the patient’s condition. The system is similar to that of bracelets used in emergencies.
System is divided into five levels
Nos emerging caseswith immediate risk, the means of emergency is sent immediately.
Nos very urgent caseswith high clinical risk, the first medium reaches the site within 18 minutes. Nos urgent caseswhen there is a risk of worsening, the emergency means arrives at the maximum in one hour.
Nos less urgent caseswhen the risk is low, the Basic Life Support means arrives at the location within 120 minutes. Nos non-urgent casesno emergency resources are sent. The call is forwarded to the Health 24 line.
INEM guarantees that is not failing the Portuguese and says that the answer is given depending on the means available.
