Interview with Sébastien Monge - Monge Ambulances and 41

Why digitize quality processes in emergency transportation?

Digitizing quality processes in emergency transportation allows for the centralization of information, improved traceability, and simplified controls. By replacing paper with digital tools, managers save time, anticipate problems, and respond more effectively to regulations. This also strengthens team accountability and enhances the professional image of the company.

Feedback from Sébastien Monge on the use of Vesuv.

Interview with Mr. Sébastien Monge, head of an ambulance company in Loir-et-Cher.

Mr. Monge is one of the very first users of the Vesuv application.

He shares his experience with the use of Vesuv, explaining the issues related to quality improvement and the need to digitize paper processes in order to efficiently manage his fleet of vehicles.

How many years have you been an ambulance driver?

31 years.

How many years have you been managing the Monge and 41 ambulances?

Since 1995, which is 24 years

What is your vehicle fleet?

40 vehicles

How many employees do you have?

34 employees

What difficulties does the application address?

The reality of having multiple sites made it difficult to have an overall view of quality operations conducted (disinfection / equipment control /…). It was necessary to collect papers and other traceability sheets at each site.

In addition to storage issues, the multitude of papers meant that they were collected over time without always analyzing their content. In case of a problem, we would hunt through archive boxes, not without difficulty, to find the sheets in an attempt to understand its origin. This took time. We were therefore operating in reactive mode, following a problem, never by anticipation.

Now, thanks to VESUV, I no longer need to consult the sheets at all. The summary report I receive by email provides me with all the necessary information. If a vehicle has not been inspected on time, I know immediately and can ask my employees for details.

Moreover, I am now aware of the absence or malfunction of equipment in the vehicles. I can proceed with their replacements much more quickly than before.

Giving up paper is a real relief: I had to buy books or sheets, print them, organize them, archive them... all of this takes space and costs money... Now, all of that is over, it’s super convenient!

I have made sure that my three operational referents at each of my sites receive the summary email. They are autonomous in handling priorities if necessary.

Additionally, I noticed that in case of a problem, it was difficult to find the cause, with everyone passing the buck. Now the responsibility for the equipment is no longer diluted. Thanks to the application’s control measures, problems are detected much faster. The use of Vesuv therefore allows for greater accountability among employees.

In case of inspection by authorities (ARS, Gendarmerie…), I find it extremely convenient to only have to send an Excel or PDF export as proof of operations carried out rather than rummaging through all the sheets in the boxes...

When I bought my company 10 years ago, I was unpleasantly surprised to discover afterward that some (many…) pieces of equipment were faulty, and that medical kits were expired in many cases. I narrowly avoided a temporary withdrawal of my accreditation with the serious consequence of stopping operations and putting everyone on technical unemployment. Employees were not used to regularly checking the boxes... We had to urgently redo all the kits!

How do you highlight this strong commitment to quality externally?

When I respond to a call for tenders, I now highlight the use of VESUV with screenshots to show its benefits in my organization. I noticed that this has improved my quality score.

I was recently told that I am one of the few who are as rigorous in applying quality processes. I take pride in this and congratulate myself every day for having invested in this approach!

Today, the methods are well mastered by the staff and persist beyond staff rotations or resignations. As soon as a new employee arrives, the established processes allow for a very rapid and structured skill acquisition.

What advice would you give to an ambulance driver starting their activity?

The best advice I could give to an ambulance driver starting their activity is to quickly place quality at the heart of their work. This may seem burdensome or constraining at first but pays off significantly in the medium term.

This also helps to significantly improve the image of the ambulance worker, who was considered until recently just a simple “gurney pusher” rather than a relevant player in the medical world. We are in the process of changing this perception. If you have an impeccable ambulance, an impeccable gurney, impeccable equipment, the perception changes very positively, and you do not come across as a “clown”.

I was one of the first to implement ongoing training for my ambulance staff. I am indeed seeing more and more colleagues introducing this ongoing training within their companies. It has even become mandatory in Loir-et-Cher.

This training has now become mandatory throughout Loir-et-Cher.

Find the procedures for emergency transportation used by the ambulance company.