Roughly 20 percent of people who call Beijing's 120 emergency medical hotline do not receive an ambulance, a senior health official told METRO.

Lei Yanni, east region director for the Beijing Emergency Medical Care Center, said although the capital boasts a great amount of advanced resources, service quality has gone backwards.

"Almost everyone who called 120 during the Beijing Olympics (in 2008) got an ambulance, with the rate as high as 99.89 percent," she said. "Now about one in five callers are told to try dialing (the Red Cross on) 999 for help instead. It is not merely a figure - it's about a person's right to life."

Authorities invested a lot in emergency care ahead of the historic games, opening 127 stations citywide to house 150 ambulances. However, many have since closed due to a lack of funding. Today, the number of stations stands at about 90, with 20 or so directly affiliated to the Emergency Medical Care Center.

"Just think, there are people out there on the verge of death, extremely anxious about getting an ambulance," said Lei, who is also a member of the Beijing community of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top advisory body.

The Beijing health bureau carried out its first comprehensive study of the emergency response network in 2010, covering operations, employee welfare, equipment quality and medicine supplies.

Lei suggested the study is used as a reference when it comes to funding, as well as urged the capital to learn from Germany, where government departments and commercial organizations jointly manage first-response systems.

Setting up stations in more communities, however, is essential and would yield immediate results. "As more of the population moves farther away from the city center, ideally emergency medical care centers should move with them," she added. "Emergency centers at people's doors will save a lot of time.

"The government should continue to look into emergency centers in communities and forcefully make sure parking spaces for ambulances are left free in each neighborhood."

The fact there are two hotlines for emergency medical care - the health bureau's 120 and the Red Cross Society of China's 999 - is also something that has long-been questioned for its efficiency.

"When a car accident occurs, you sometimes see both 120 and 999 ambulances coming to the rescue. It's definitely a waste of resources," said Lei, who insisted even if there are two services they should share a common information platform to avoid such things.

Another major problem is the shortage of medical talents due largely to the poor pay, she added. "Compared with 3A hospitals, doctors and nurses in our emergency center are underpaid, given that the work is often in harsh environments and is very stressful."

Paramedics not only need medical skills but also the right temperament and communication skills. Drivers can also do their bit to speed up ambulance response times by staying out of lanes for emergency vehicles, she added.

China Daily

(China Daily 04/25/2011)