Hospital Transportation Service

(Ambulance Service)

Dr. Chobana.S
MHA 1st year
Hospital Transportation Service:
 A hospital utilize various types of vehicles for its smooth functioning.
 They are of 2 types- clinical use and non-clinical use.

Transport

Staff & material Patient transport

transport service

Staff car Store van Ambulance

Patient
ALS BLS
transport
 Ambulance:
 The term ambulance comes from the Latin word “ambulare” as meaning to walk or move about which is a
reference to early medical care where patients were moved by lifting or wheeling

 An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals.

 Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided.

 Ambulances are used to respond to medical emergencies by emergency medical services.

Types of Ambulance Service:
a. Emergency ambulance:The most common type of ambulance, which provide care to patients with an
acute injury or illness.
1. Basic life support ambulance
2. Advanced life support ambulance

b.Patient transport ambulance: A vehicle, which has the job of transporting patients to, from or between
places of medical treatment, such as hospital
or dialysis centre, for non-urgent care.

c. Cardiac Ambulance: This ambulance contains ventilator, ECG, monitoring devices and paramedic staff.

d. Neonatal ambulance: Services aimed at reducing neonatal mortality rates. Neonatal ambulances transport
premature and sick babies to specialized care hospitals.

e. Mortuary Ambulance : A mortuary ambulance is used for transportation of the dead body from any place. It is
also called as Hearse Van.

f. Air ambulances: Use of air transportation by airplane or helicopter to transport patients to and from healthcare
Types of Ambulance Service:
Government Ambulance Service: Operating separately from (although alongside) the fire and police service of the
area, these ambulances are funded by local or national government.

Volunteer Ambulance Service: Charities or non-profit companies operate ambulances, both in an emergency and
patient transport function.

Private Ambulance Service: Normal commercial companies with paid employees, but often on contract to the local
or national government. Private companies may provide only the patient transport elements of ambulance care.

Charity Ambulance: This special type of ambulance is provided by a charity for the purpose of taking sick children
or adults on other hospital .
 Equipments:
Basic life support ambulance: Vital signs monitoring devices
Suction unit
Bag valve mask
Airways( oropharyngeal & nasopharyngeal)
Automatic external defibrillator
Dressing tray
Suturing tray
Oxygen delivery devices
Dressings & bandages
Syringes & needles
Fluids
Immobilization devices
Essential drugs
Infection control materials.
Equipments:
Advanced life support ambulance: Vital signs monitoring devices
Laryngoscope, laryngoscope blades
Endotracheal tubes
Meconium aspirator adaptor
Crystalloid solutions
Antiseptic solutions
Intravenous catheters
Syringes & needles
Intraosseous needles
Intravenous administration sets
Portable monitor & defibrillator
Ventilators
ECG
Transcutaneous cardiac pacemaker
Essential drugs.

Cardiac ambulance: All BLS & ALS equipments and cardiac drugs.
Staffing for Ambulance Service:
 Driver
 Emergency medical technician
 Paramedic
 Nurse
 Doctor ( need depends upon type of emergency, accident or disaster)

AMBULANCE DRIVERS PARAMEDIC

2 7 10
3 12 15
4 16 20
5 20 24
Administration for Hospital Transport
Service:
Medical Superintendent

Additional Medical Superintendent (Transport)

Chief Medical Officer (Transport)

Transport Supervisor

Stretcher Mechanic Driver Cleaner Tech. staff

bearer
Transport Bay:

 There should be a designated area for parking of hospital vehicles near to Emergency.
 The size depends on the number of vehicles.
 Provision of water supply and Electrical points.
 Patient loading and unloading Area.
 The area must be properly secured and have adequate light and power points for charging of ambulance
equipments.
 The mechanics must inspect the vehicles daily and do preventive maintenance.
 The cleaners must clean the vehicles daily, washing and neat & clean.
 The O.T technician to maintain the equipments installed in ALS/ BLS ambulances and test them each
morning.
 The in charge transport must make it sure, that the vehicles are properly fuelled and greased and ready to
take up any time.
 Communication:
f Communication with Hospital.

 Mobile ph /wireless sets be provided.

 Keep a record of telephone number of fellow colleagues /hospitals.

 Keep a map of city /area for faster and accurate movement.

 Maintenance:
 Daily maintenance.

 Annual Maintenance contract.

 Minor repair in workshop.

 Breakdown maintenance in authorised Garage.

 Wash area for ambulance should be defined along with water and drain facility.

 Daily inspection of vehicle.

 Daily inspection and checking of equipment.

Disinfecting ambulance:
Decontamination of ambulance needs to be performed every time an infected case is transported in the ambulance.
The following procedure must be followed while decontaminating the ambulance:
 Gloves and N-95 masks are recommended for sanitation staff cleaning the ambulance.
 Disinfect (damp wipe) all horizontal, vertical and contact surfaces with a cotton cloth saturated (or microfiber)
with a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution. These surfaces include, but are not limited to: stretcher, Bed rails,
Infusion pumps, IV poles/Hanging IV poles, Monitor cables, telephone, Countertops, sharps container. Spot
clean walls (when visually soiled) with disinfectant-detergent and windows with glass cleaner.
 Allow contact time of 30 minutes and allow air dry.
 Damp mop floor with 1% sodium hypochlorite disinfectant.
 Discard disposable items and Infectious waste in a Bio/Hazard bag. The interior is sprayed with 1% sodium
hypochlorite. The bag is tied and exterior is also decontaminated with 1% sodium hypochlorite and should be
given to the hospitals to dispose of according to their policy.
 Change cotton mop water containing disinfectant after each cleaning cycle.
 Remove gloves and wash hands.
Reference:
https://www.facs.org/-/media/files/quality-programs/trauma/publications/ambulance.ashx

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/StandardOperatingProcedureSOPfortransportingasuspectorconfirmed
caseofCOVID19.pdf

http://www.ndrf.gov.in/equipment/equipment-ambulance-37-items