Los Angeles ambulance crews told not to transport patients who are unlikely to survive

With intensive care units in Southern California hospitals nearing full due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS) has ordered ambulance teams to not transport patients with low chances of survival to hospitals and keep them in use. oxygen.

Los Angeles and southern California face one of the nation’s worst novel coronavirus outbreaks. The capacity of intensive care beds fell to 0% in southern California last month, as more people were admitted to hospital for treatment for Covid-19.

Today, many medical facilities simply do not have the space to accommodate patients who have no chance of survival, according to the agency.

As of Monday evening, 7,544 people were hospitalized in Los Angeles with Covid-19 and only 17 adult intensive care beds available, according to county health data. Due to the lack of beds, the county EMS said patients whose hearts had stopped, despite resuscitation efforts, should no longer be transported to hospitals.

If there is no sign of breathing or pulse, the EMS will continue to perform resuscitation for at least 20 minutes, the EMS memo reads. If the patient is stabilized after the resuscitation period, then the patient would be taken to hospital. If the patient is pronounced dead at the scene or if a pulse cannot be restored, paramedics will no longer transport the body to hospital.

Oxygen shortage: An oxygen shortage in Los Angeles and neighboring San Joaquin Valley, thanks to Covid-19, is putting enormous pressure on the system and forcing paramedics to keep supplies.

In order to maintain normal blood flow to the organs and tissues necessary for the body to function, EMS said at least 90% oxygen saturation would be sufficient.

California Governor Gavin Newsom formed a task force to resolve the issue last week. It works with local and state partners to help fill oxygen tanks and mobilize them to the hospitals and facilities that need it most.