Hotel guests, Americans above all, do not like paying
for a housecall. Many, if they are feeling bad, decide to “call an ambulance.”
Paramedics know their business. If the guest requires
urgent attention, they’ll take him to a hospital. If not, they might still transport him
because they don’t like to take chances. If the situation is clearly not
urgent, they’ll tell him to consult a doctor. Sometimes I end up making the
visit.
Paramedics are city employees, so their services are
free. But for reasons unclear to me, transportation in an ambulance is not
free. If paramedics take you to a hospital, the city will send you a bill. Like
all medical services in America, the cost will take your breath away.