More Called 112 in 2011, Say Ambulance Crews
Published: 04.01.2012 09:43
Photo: Pärnu Postimees / Scanpix
Ambulance crews said 2011 was one of the busiest years and chief medic Raul Adlas said the number of calls remains unusually high.
Adlas said the 15-percent rise in calls started in late 2010 when a virus was going around, and the number remained high all year long
Adlas told uudised.err.ee that there was no specific profile of the sick man or woman. "There are more traumas, more illnesses," he said regarding the reasons for calling paramedics in 2011. "There have been increases in all diseases."
Adlas argues that people are actually in worse health, which he attributes to health care funding cuts and longer waits to be seen by specialist doctors. "The availability of medical care in Tallinn and people's funds for buying medicines led to many chronic illnesses getting worse and people found themselves making a trip to the emergency room because they didn't take care of their underlying illness. And overuse of alcohol and other substances always comes with depression," said Adlas.
Adlas added that he is concerned that the number of calls is too many for the personnel.
The city press agency Raepress said 26,930 of the patients treated by ambulance crews had injuries or an illness serious enough to require hospitalization.
Traumas were the reason for ambulance calls for 8,233 people, 303 of which were sports injuries. Injuries around the home accounted for 5,578 cases, on-the-job injuries 244 calls, and other traumas, 1,450. Suicide was indicated in 63 cases, and 738 calls were for various poisonings.
In 204 cases, the victim was clinically dead when the ambulance arrived. Eight births occurred in ambulances or at home with ambulance crews attending.
Kristopher Rikken