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02 Nov 2017, 15:35
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The following appeared in the editorial section of a West Cambria newspaper:
“A recent review of the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service revealed a longer average response time to accidents than was reported by a commercial ambulance squad located in East Cambria. In order to provide better patient care for accident victims and to raise revenue for our town by collecting service fees for ambulance use, we should disband our volunteer service and hire a commercial ambulance service.”
Response:
The argument posed in the West Cambria newspaper editorial that states a commercial ambulance squad will provide better patient care and raise town revenue is supported by minimal statistics and illogical conclusions. The argument is flawed because it does not consider the differences between the towns of West & East Cambria, it does not investigate the cost of the commercial ambulance service, and it assumes quicker response times mean better patient care.
The main support for the argument in the editorial is that a recent review, of which we are given no credible information (i.e. author, criteria, etc.), determined that the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service had a longer average response time than the commercial ambulance service in East Cambria. While this may be true, the author does not dive into the details of why the response times are different. For example, the town of West Cambria may be twice as large as East Cambria or it may have fewer straight wide roads than East Cambria which would cause the ambulance to have to drive slower. Another statistic that was not considered was the number of people on each of the town’s ambulance squads or the location of the EMT building in each town. If this information was known, we could better understand why there may be a difference in response times.
Even without factoring statistics into the evaluation of the argument, the argument itself fails to consider the cost of a commercial ambulance service and whether or not the people of West Cambria could afford it. Although there is a potential revenue source in a commercial service due to the service fees, the town of West Cambria, in theory, should provide these emergency services to their citizens out of moral obligation, not for financial gain. Who is to say that the townspeople in West Cambria can afford the prices that the commercial ambulance service requires? If people avoid making ambulance calls because they are too expensive this could lead to worse and more severe injuries, or even deaths, in West Cambria.
The last major flaw in the editorial argument is that it assumes a quicker ambulance response time equates to better patient care. While this may seem true at first thought, it does not consider the severity of the ambulance calls. Without investigating the typical medical treatment needed when an ambulance is called and the impact that time has on the injured person, the author fails to provide compelling support for their argument.
Although the author’s argument may have some validity, it would be wise to evaluate the points mentioned above before moving from a volunteer ambulance service to a commercial one. Providing some statistical evidence to support the argument and factoring in the human element for this type of town decision should occur before making any changes. Due to the lack of this information in the editorial, the argument for a commercial ambulance service over a volunteer ambulance service is weak.
“A recent review of the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service revealed a longer average response time to accidents than was reported by a commercial ambulance squad located in East Cambria. In order to provide better patient care for accident victims and to raise revenue for our town by collecting service fees for ambulance use, we should disband our volunteer service and hire a commercial ambulance service.”
Response:
The argument posed in the West Cambria newspaper editorial that states a commercial ambulance squad will provide better patient care and raise town revenue is supported by minimal statistics and illogical conclusions. The argument is flawed because it does not consider the differences between the towns of West & East Cambria, it does not investigate the cost of the commercial ambulance service, and it assumes quicker response times mean better patient care.
The main support for the argument in the editorial is that a recent review, of which we are given no credible information (i.e. author, criteria, etc.), determined that the West Cambria volunteer ambulance service had a longer average response time than the commercial ambulance service in East Cambria. While this may be true, the author does not dive into the details of why the response times are different. For example, the town of West Cambria may be twice as large as East Cambria or it may have fewer straight wide roads than East Cambria which would cause the ambulance to have to drive slower. Another statistic that was not considered was the number of people on each of the town’s ambulance squads or the location of the EMT building in each town. If this information was known, we could better understand why there may be a difference in response times.
Even without factoring statistics into the evaluation of the argument, the argument itself fails to consider the cost of a commercial ambulance service and whether or not the people of West Cambria could afford it. Although there is a potential revenue source in a commercial service due to the service fees, the town of West Cambria, in theory, should provide these emergency services to their citizens out of moral obligation, not for financial gain. Who is to say that the townspeople in West Cambria can afford the prices that the commercial ambulance service requires? If people avoid making ambulance calls because they are too expensive this could lead to worse and more severe injuries, or even deaths, in West Cambria.
The last major flaw in the editorial argument is that it assumes a quicker ambulance response time equates to better patient care. While this may seem true at first thought, it does not consider the severity of the ambulance calls. Without investigating the typical medical treatment needed when an ambulance is called and the impact that time has on the injured person, the author fails to provide compelling support for their argument.
Although the author’s argument may have some validity, it would be wise to evaluate the points mentioned above before moving from a volunteer ambulance service to a commercial one. Providing some statistical evidence to support the argument and factoring in the human element for this type of town decision should occur before making any changes. Due to the lack of this information in the editorial, the argument for a commercial ambulance service over a volunteer ambulance service is weak.
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