In a long report released today by the Israeli Comptroller, the Comptroller demands the Ministry of Health take enforcement action to stop the publication of United Hatzalah’s hotline as an emergency number.
The Comptroller points out that all emergency calls should be called in directly to MDA’s 101 hotline, which dispatches both MDA and United Hatzalah volunteers.
The Comptroller points out that advertising the United Hatzalah hotline as an emergency number “May confuse the public that the response provided is equal to the response provided when calling 101 and may delay the care of the patient”.
The Comptroller also demands from the Ministry of Health to ensure that United Hatzalah instructs its volunteers to cease publicizing the United Hatzalah hotline on magnets, advertising materials and instructional materials.
{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}
When seconds count, MDA is only minutes away.
Meanwhile United Hatzalah’s volunteers are already in the scene…
What the number in Israel to call hatzalah?
For all interested, United Hatzalah’s number is 1221.
What else did the report say? Did it speak about any of the problems in the Health Ministry of in MDA as well?
MDA has 5000 first responder volunteers and 500+ first responder medi-cycles.
Calling 101 dispatches both ALS and BLS ambulances immediately and the first responders from both MDA and United Hatzalah.
Calling any other numbers delays the arrival of Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support ambulances and adds an unnecessary extra layer which can mean life or death when seconds count.