dgnagy
Member
http://www.timesreporter.com/index.php?ID=62273&r=2
Helicopter evacuating Tuscarawas - STAT MedEvac to discontinue service in county.
STAT MedEvac, which flies critically ill and injured patients to major medical centers, will halt its Tuscarawas County operations Saturday at midnight.
“I’m disappointed,” said Bob Smith, owner and president of Smith Ambulance Services.
“Apparently STAT Med-Evac’s board of directors voted to shut down its New Philadelphia operation last Friday.”
Smith said he was told the operation did not meet financial expectations.
Smith said 12 to 15 helicopter flight crew members, who “drove to New Philadelphia from all over,” worked for Pittsburgh-based STAT MedEvac.
He believed there were more complicated issues that factored into STAT’s move. A call to STAT’s headquarters was not returned Thursday.
The landing pad and base of operations at Harry Clever Field is owned by Smith Ambulance.
“I have a 10-year lease agreement with the city of New Philadelphia,” Smith said. “This is exactly why we did not want to share ownership of the base with an out-of-county provider. It’s also why we have the opportunity to continue to seek another medical helicopter provider.”
Two Ohio-based companies are interested in replacing STAT as the county’s air medical transport provider, and the outcome “looks promising,” Smith said.
“We should know within a week or two,” he added.
“I think the main thing is that having a helicopter service is a tremendous asset to a community our size, especially being rural and at a distance from trauma centers. Our local EMTs and paramedics are highly trained and do a good job. The level of care is here but having an aircraft stationed nearby increases the speed that is needed to get to a trauma center when the need arises.”
Smith said STAT transported 470 patients in Tuscarawas County over the course of the last year.
According to the contract terms, Smith said he should have had 90 days’ notice from STAT before operations ceased.
Helicopter evacuating Tuscarawas - STAT MedEvac to discontinue service in county.
STAT MedEvac, which flies critically ill and injured patients to major medical centers, will halt its Tuscarawas County operations Saturday at midnight.
“I’m disappointed,” said Bob Smith, owner and president of Smith Ambulance Services.
“Apparently STAT Med-Evac’s board of directors voted to shut down its New Philadelphia operation last Friday.”
Smith said he was told the operation did not meet financial expectations.
Smith said 12 to 15 helicopter flight crew members, who “drove to New Philadelphia from all over,” worked for Pittsburgh-based STAT MedEvac.
He believed there were more complicated issues that factored into STAT’s move. A call to STAT’s headquarters was not returned Thursday.
The landing pad and base of operations at Harry Clever Field is owned by Smith Ambulance.
“I have a 10-year lease agreement with the city of New Philadelphia,” Smith said. “This is exactly why we did not want to share ownership of the base with an out-of-county provider. It’s also why we have the opportunity to continue to seek another medical helicopter provider.”
Two Ohio-based companies are interested in replacing STAT as the county’s air medical transport provider, and the outcome “looks promising,” Smith said.
“We should know within a week or two,” he added.
“I think the main thing is that having a helicopter service is a tremendous asset to a community our size, especially being rural and at a distance from trauma centers. Our local EMTs and paramedics are highly trained and do a good job. The level of care is here but having an aircraft stationed nearby increases the speed that is needed to get to a trauma center when the need arises.”
Smith said STAT transported 470 patients in Tuscarawas County over the course of the last year.
According to the contract terms, Smith said he should have had 90 days’ notice from STAT before operations ceased.
