# How do ambulances/ERs deal with billing unconscious patients?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-ambulances-ers-deal-with-billing-unconscious-patients/452964>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 15, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-ambulances-ers-deal-with-billing-unconscious-patients/452964 "2008-06-15T00:31:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-ambulances-ers-deal-with-billing-unconscious-patients/452964/21 "2008-06-17T15:33:39Z")

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[QUOTE=NinjaChick]  
And I’d think that in a glaringly obvious suicide attempt, it may be treated differently. Is this not the case?  
[/QUOTE]

Can you elaborate on this? I’m not sure exactly what you’re talking about.

> [@BiblioCat](#):
>
> If there is a DNR involved, we can’t do anything. Yes, people freak out and call 911 when Grandma looks like she’s dying, but if she has a legal DNR, we can’t touch the patient.

The DNR only kicks in once they’re dead. It gets tricky when they’re only mostly dead (or don’t have any loose change).

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**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-ambulances-ers-deal-with-billing-unconscious-patients/452964/22 "2008-06-17T21:56:17Z")

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–snerk-- loose change–snerk–

Retired NY EMT chiming in. Back to the OP. Consent. I wish I’d not given away my Brady Books- the EMT course manuals. Basically, it comes down to this.

If you are unconscious, any emergency provider moves ahead rendering care under the reasonable assumption that had you BEEN conscious, you would have consented. Suicide notes are a bitch. I did a few suicide attempt calls. In one case, there was indeed a note. The patient was semi-conscious. We rendered aid and transported.

I believe it is called “Implied Consent”. Suicide notes aside, one always assumes that the unconscious or incapacitated patient would want treatment.

The DNR issue has been addressed in other threads, I know it has. Can’t FIND em. Know they exist.

Cartooniverse

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**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-ambulances-ers-deal-with-billing-unconscious-patients/452964/23 "2008-06-18T02:00:36Z")

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[QUOTE=Cartooniverse]  
I believe it is called “Implied Consent”.  
[/QUOTE]  
Yep, that’s it. I just did my re-cert, and Implied Consent means you are allowed to treat and transport a person who has attempted suicide, unless there is an obvious mortal injury, like a gunshot wound to the head.  
Sometimes the phrase ‘Duty To Act’ is used. You come across someone who is injured, and you have a Duty To Act; in other words, you have to help.

\*::: also laughing at the ‘loose change’ comment::: 😛 \*

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