The diversion of ambulances - Health Beat - research suggests most effective use of ambulance services - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Feb, 2004

The diversion of ambulances away from crowded emergency departments, despite an increase in the transport of patients by ambulance, can be achieved through a community-wide coordinating effort, finds the American College of Emergency Physicians, Washington. D.C. A study over a two-year period in San Diego, Calif., showed that allowing individuals to be transported to hospitals of their choice decreased the need to transfer them later.

Moreover, the patients were able to reach facilities in which their case records were stored.