Rationale:
To define who is considered a patient in the Christian Hospital EMS System.
Definition:
A patient is a human being in any of the following situations:
- with a complaint which suggests potential for medical, traumatic, or psychiatric illness, who requests or whom another individual in direct contact with them requests evaluation for such a complaint on their behalf.
- with obvious evidence of medical, traumatic, or psychiatric illness, who has experienced an acute event that could reasonably lead to medical, traumatic, or psychiatric illness,
- in a circumstance that could reasonably lead to medical, traumatic, or psychiatric illness.
This definition is to be applied in the broadest sense. If there is any question, the individual should be considered a patient and treated accordingly. Medical alarms (i.e. fall out of wheelchair, etc) are considered patients.
Expectation:
- All patients will be assessed by an ALS EMS provider from CHEMS and/or an affiliated ALS EMRA
- Patient care documentation will reflect assessment of all human beings who meet the definition of “patient” above.
- If an individual is evaluated and ultimately determined not to meet the definition of “patient”, the evaluation and description of the situation that supports this determination will be captured in patient care documentation.
- Any patient will be offered appropriate evaluation, treatment, and transport to an appropriate, emergency department.
Documentation:
- The only time that “cancelled”, “other” or “no patient found” will be used for run disposition is if there is no patient as defined in this reference.
CHEMS Field Treatment Guidelines 