San Francisco Paramedics: Keep St. Luke's Emergency Room Open

Dr. Martin Brotman
CEO, California Pacific Medical Center
2333 Buchanan Street
San Francisco, CA 94115

Dr. Brotman:

The San Francisco Paramedic Association is a nonprofit membership organization that advocates for the San Francisco prehospital care system.

The emergency medical services system in the city has seen an increase of wait times by ambulance patients over the past few years. Correspondingly the number of emergency departments available in the system has also decreased. The situation may be especially exacerbated by a possible closure of the Saint Luke’s Hospital emergency department. If Saint Luke’s was to lose its emergency services availability, the remaining emergency department immediately available to the southern half of county will be at San Francisco General Hospital. A “diversion” of an ambulance carrying an emergent patient from SFGH to another facility may mean a delay of another 20 to 30 minutes for that patient.

We understand that the healthcare system is in crisis and that its financial health is failing. Unfortunately, the emergency care system is the “safety net” for the community as a whole; it is compelled to be the source of urgent or emergent care for all citizens, regardless of ability to pay. We urge all steps are taken to ensure that the system remains equally available to all San Franciscans for disasters great and small. We encourage continuing dialogue among stakeholders and decision makers to find every opportunity to keep Saint Luke’s emergency department available to the EMS system.

Regards,

Art Hsieh, Chief Operating Officer
San Francisco Paramedic Association

cc: Catherine Stephani, Catherine Dodd, Dr. Bonita Ann Palmer, Dr. Ken Barnes

Art Hsieh, MA, NREMT-P
Chief Operating Officer & Education Director
San Francisco Paramedic Association
657 Mission Street Suite 302
San Francisco, CA 94105
415.543.1161 (p) 415.543.0415 (f)
www.sfparamedics.org