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CPR Hero Shocked by $250 Ambulance Bill
8 Jul
Summary
- A doctor was billed $250 after performing CPR.
- The ambulance bill was issued by Alberta Health Services.
- Alberta Health Services waived the bill and will review policy.
Dr. Ian Sutanto, a family physician in Edmonton, was surprised to receive a $250 invoice three weeks after he helped save a man's life. During a father-son basketball game on June 19, Sutanto performed CPR and used an AED on a participant who had gone into cardiac arrest. Paramedics arrived and stabilized the patient, but later, one checked on Sutanto, who was feeling winded.
Alberta Health Services (AHSH) waived the bill after Sutanto questioned it and stated it would review its ambulance billing policy. This incident has raised concerns for Sutanto, who fears that ambulance fees could discourage individuals from seeking necessary medical help. He noted that a 2015 survey indicated that ambulance costs had deterred a significant percentage of Canadians and Albertans from calling for an ambulance.
The man Sutanto assisted has since been discharged from the hospital and is recovering well, underscoring the critical importance of life-saving skills like CPR and the immediate use of AEDs.
