B767 captain is informed of ill passenger requiring medical assistance after push back. Requirements...

Attributes
ACN	810629
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	810629
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Immediately after pushback; about to taxi out from alleyway for takeoff; flight attendants advised of sick passenger. A physician on board stated passenger needed immediate medical attention and removed from the aircraft as soon as possible. Passenger was reported to be extremely pale; clammy; lethargic; erratic pulse; and approximately 60 yrs old. In my communications with company operations; they insisted paramedics required symptoms before responding to a call. This request wasted valuable time and when quarried; the paramedics said it was not necessary. When an aircraft ground-interrupts for a medical emergency; it is not the time to question the judgement of the crew. Monday morning quarterbacking can be discussed once the medical condition of the passenger is addressed by the professionals. I suggest guidance be given to crews to contact ATC to coordinate request for medical assistance versus wasting valuable time through the company network. Also; company ramp tower personnel should receive training on appropriate handling of medical emergencys versus filling the squares of why a flight is delayed or needs to return to the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CAPTAIN IS INFORMED OF ILL PAX REQUIRING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AFTER PUSH BACK. REQUIREMENTS OF COMPANY OPERATIONS PERSONNEL DELAY ARRIVAL OF PARAMEDICS.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUSHBACK; ABOUT TO TAXI OUT FROM ALLEYWAY FOR TKOF; FLT ATTENDANTS ADVISED OF SICK PAX. A PHYSICIAN ON BOARD STATED PAX NEEDED IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTN AND REMOVED FROM THE ACFT ASAP. PAX WAS RPTED TO BE EXTREMELY PALE; CLAMMY; LETHARGIC; ERRATIC PULSE; AND APPROX 60 YRS OLD. IN MY COMS WITH COMPANY OPS; THEY INSISTED PARAMEDICS REQUIRED SYMPTOMS BEFORE RESPONDING TO A CALL. THIS REQUEST WASTED VALUABLE TIME AND WHEN QUARRIED; THE PARAMEDICS SAID IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. WHEN AN ACFT GND-INTERRUPTS FOR A MEDICAL EMER; IT IS NOT THE TIME TO QUESTION THE JUDGEMENT OF THE CREW. MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING CAN BE DISCUSSED ONCE THE MEDICAL CONDITION OF THE PAX IS ADDRESSED BY THE PROFESSIONALS. I SUGGEST GUIDANCE BE GIVEN TO CREWS TO CONTACT ATC TO COORDINATE REQUEST FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE VERSUS WASTING VALUABLE TIME THROUGH THE COMPANY NETWORK. ALSO; COMPANY RAMP TWR PERSONNEL SHOULD RECEIVE TRAINING ON APPROPRIATE HANDLING OF MEDICAL EMERS VERSUS FILLING THE SQUARES OF WHY A FLT IS DELAYED OR NEEDS TO RETURN TO THE GATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

B767 captain is informed of ill passenger requiring medical assistance after push back. Requirements of company operations personnel delay arrival of paramedics.