[Pontiac]

Paramedics arrived in four minutes, according to Spokane Fire Department dispatch logs.

Not to defend the actions of the VA staff in question, but if the Paramedics arrived in four minutes it is highly doubtful that anything the VA hospital could have done in those four minutes would have made a difference.

But on the other hand to say that they could not have grabbed an intubation kit and a bag on the way out to a respiratory distress patient is beyond my understanding. These are not large or heavy objects and should be common in any hospital.

[codercpc]

I worked at a clinic that was directly attached to the hospital. Protocol dictates that if someone goes down in the parking lot (this included the Hospital parking lot), 911 MUST be called. The reason behind this was exactly as others here have indicated, ambulances have portable equipment, and are often much quicker responses than trying to get a "full code" outside. The hospital equipment is not meant for outdoor use. That didn't mean that a Dr. if immediately available couldn't assist, it just means that 911 is the appropriate venue.