'Black ambulances' tap patient demand

BEIJING - The number of illegal ambulances in the city is still growing despite a 10-year crackdown, according to the city's 120 Emergency Medical Center.

Few of the unlicensed vehicles, if any, are equipped with proper facilities or trained attendants, which poses a serious danger to vulnerable patients, the center warned.

"We've seen many patients die in these 'black ambulances', or soon afterwards, due to the lack of proper care and equipment," said Li Jianren, a publicity officer with the center.

The unauthorized private ambulances are usually painted to look like an official ambulance with the logo of the 120 Emergency Medical Center or the 999 Emergency Center, the only two organizations in the capital entitled to provide emergency services.

"The van owners usually attract potential customers by posting their business cards in the hospital's restrooms or simply hanging around the hall looking for customers. In some local hospitals, the doctors even introduce patients to the illegal ambulances, as they get some commission," said Li.

"We are not authorized to warn or stop patients even though we know the dangers."

None of the illegal ambulances are equipped with qualified medical staff or sterilized medical equipment, which puts patients at a higher risk of infection, Li said.

"Some black ambulances are even equipped with an industrial oxygen tank, which are forbidden for medical use," Li added.

Besides the poor medical conditions, some illegal ambulances further exploit the patients by offering a cheap price for transportation and then charging extra fees for the medical facilities or on-board attendants.

According to Han Chao, a staff member responsible for long-distance transportation for the 120 emergency center, the illegal ambulances usually attract patients by offering fees that are almost half the cost of authorized ambulances. However, patients later find themselves paying more because they have to pay extra for the medical staff and medical equipment.

"Some patients end up paying a lot for these so-called extra services, including 800-yuan ($125) for oxygen and 5,000 yuan for an accompanying doctor," said Han.

Han said, despite this, underground ambulances have been proliferating due to the high demand.

"The main reason for the rampant rise in 'black ambulances' is the shortage of authorized emergency ambulances in the capital," said Han.

According to Li, the 140 emergency ambulances in the capital are mainly used for emergency rescues and only 10 are used for transporting patients between hospitals.

"With some 1,000 patients demanding emergency transportation, 10 ambulances are simply not enough," said Li.

Li said the solution to curbing the rampant rise in illegal ambulances is to increase the number of authorized ambulances in the city.

Despite the official crackdown and some complaints from patients, the illegal ambulances have also received some praise as well.

A 36-year-old businessman surnamed Li in Puyang in Central China's Henan province who took an illegal ambulance from home and sent his father-in-law to the capital for heart treatment in China's People's Liberation Army 307 Hospital said he was satisfied with their service.

"They only charged me 4,000 yuan for 500 kilometers, which was much cheaper than the 120 center," said Li. "We rented a attendant and an oxygen tank in the van and the service was not bad."